Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 08/12/2021

Home

Figures 1-2: Nature -based play features at Pearson Park: (left to right) figure -eight stair stepping logs; sand and artificial turf surfacing, scattered 'tree cookies' Another option to traditional playgrounds is converting parkland, including the former playground area, into naturalized landscapes, providing a different type of valued outdoor amenity. Tree forts are almost a rite of passage for children, like this one in the wooded area of Ford Brook Park, or one below at Pearson Park manufactured from imported branches. Ford Brook Park Pearson Park Natural woods allow for the creation of lean-to's and stick forts as well as hide-n-seek games or self -guided exploration of these shady enclaves. In other neighborhood parks, it may even be appropriate to simply leave areas open, and available to make bicycle tracks in the soil with shovels and hand tools another rite of passage for many children. At parks where the landscape is be to converted from playgrounds (or turf), there should be a plan for both the conversion but also the appropriate care and management which can be simple and less costly than some maintenance intensive formal playgrounds. Regardless of the type of alternative landscape, these areas are not to be left for weeds and invasive plants to become established —which can result in a degradation of the park or adjoining private lands. 6