Photo Credit: Courtesy of Randy Gaddo
This column, LBWA (Leadership By Wandering Around), is based on the premise that, in order to find out what’s going on in the field, a parks and rec leader has to leave his or her desk and “wander around” the area of operations, talk to people, ask questions, and kick around ideas with the individuals in the thick of delivering services to the public. So the author will bring up issues that may be common to many PRB readers, and ask the readers who are the leaders to weigh in and share their knowledge and experiences.
While facility-maintenance managers around the world could probably have extended and animated discussions about what the best surface is for a playground, the truth is there is no right or wrong answer.
According to the The Dirty Dozen--12 Playground Hazards, the number-one hazard on playgrounds is improper protective surfacing. Each year, more than 200,000 injuries and 15 deaths occur in playground accidents.