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On March 18, 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance (PPA) presented their updated and probably final plans for Vanderbilt Playground to a group at P.S. 154. The presentation was lead by Prospect Park Alliance President Tupper Thomas and designer Crystal Guido. They hope to have the design completed by August 2008. Construction is scheduled to begin during the fall of 2009 so we will have the playground, as is, for the next two summers. There is no budget to repair current equipment in the playground when it breaks which is why there are a few pieces missing (tire swings, toddler structure). The renovation is expected to take one year.

Tupper Thomas, President of the Prospect Park Alliance
showing a model of the older kids water feature.

Although there were some communication problems early on during the planning of this playground’s renovation due to staff turnover at PPA, the process is now moving ahead and the community is once again being given the opportunity to help make the playground one which is a true collaborative effort between local residents and the PPA. Thank you to Tupper Thomas and Director of Community Outreach, Jackie Medina, for reaching out to the community!

 

click to view larger

The existing wooden climbing structure will be replaced with a new structure made of different level platforms forming a continuous running area and two slides (one will be a corkscrew slide). The plan as of Nov. 2007 was for it to be a climbing structure but we requested that it be designed so children could run and the PPA was very accommodating on this point. There will be several ways to enter the structure with increasing levels of difficulty including vertical and angled ladders and a “spider web” of cables the children can climb up.

The older kids water feature consists of a shallow channel with small bridges over it leading into a larger teardrop-shaped section. The water comes out of a bubbler at one end of the channel and flows up the channel to the teardrop area which has several slightly curved bronze poles (6’ to 8’ tall) that sprout water. The large “flow features” – low bronze “rocks” with channels which catch the water – will be bigger than previously planned.

The older kids area will also include a large web of ropes with a slide, a flat disc which is installed on a tilt for kids to climb on and be spun by their friends, and wood decks, one of which will have an existing tree growing through it.

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The tot area

 

The enclosed tot area will feature two roofed small areas shading a series of low risers and a low slide. The 29” high, 11’ long tot water feature will have a bubbler which emits water from one end at the top and allows it to flow down a top channel and to drip down several places in the front. It will also have a small archway which “rains.” The surface is textured with grooves resembling roots on the bottom surface and areas looking like fossils of leaves on top. It will be low enough so a three year old will be able to touch the top where the water is bubbling out.

There will be a rubber safety surface under the tot area. They are looking at a new surface made of crumbled tire rubber in little pillows for cushioning with mesh plastic on top to smooth it out. If this is not available, they will use black rubber tile.

Existing swings will be replaced by new bucket swings, the footprint of the playground will be expanded on both ends, and the Vanderbilt Street entrance to the playground itself will be moved even further away from Prospect Park Southwest than it is now. New to this design are two “nests” that kids can climb in and two swivel balls at the entrance to the playground. One of the balls pops up a little if you step on it. They will also look into the possibility of nearby bathrooms, possibly at the Wellhouse (the building down at the turn in the road across from the lake).

 

 

For pictures of the models presented at the Nov. 2007, click here.

For more information, please contact Jackie Medina, Director of Community Outreach, Prospect Park Alliance (718 965-8946 or Jmedina@prospectpark.org).

For more information, please join our Yahoo group.

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