Everyone check out the Lake Nokomis Park playground. Its a different type of playspace called Evos and its by Landscape Structures. Is that slide wicked looking or what? Is this the future of playgrounds? It says its for 5-12 year olds, but if I come across one I gotta try it out.
Lake Nokomis Park
It really is an awesome and unique looking playground. We just had the chance to build one last week in Gulfport, Mississippi, and the kids should be able to play on it in a couple weeks when the surfacing is in place. Do any of you out there live in communities where there is an existing EVOS structure? I know there are less than a hundred so far that have been built, but I would love to hear about any communities that have these and what sort of experience it has been so far for the children playing on it. Yes it looks amazing and I want to play on them myself, but do the kids seem to enjoy playing on them more than more traditional playgrounds with decks and posts? Do all the kids engage in this new type of playground or is it more challenging for some? Are kids more or less active with this type of structure? What about kids with disabilities - is it truly accessible to them?
Oh yea, and this is a technicality that was explained to us by the people from Landscape Structures, but that is NOT a slide. It is a glider. There is no lip on the side that holds the kids in there so it doesn't meet the ASTM standard as a slide so it is a glider instead.
It is a glider. There is no lip on the side that holds the kids in there so it doesn't meet the ASTM standard as a slide so it is a glider instead.
. . . it doesn't meet the ASTM standard as a slide so it is a glider instead.
I don't get it, either - so if this is not "safety approved", does it mean this playground as a whole does not meet saftey standards? or just that piece of equipment? or does it meet standards if it is called a "glider?" It would really help me for someone to clarify this - we like this Evos stuff, but we're being required rto adhere very strictly for our future playgrounds meeting all the safety standards. Thanks!
Hi--I believe it is safety tested and approved-- talk to a Landscape Structures rep for sure... what the other poster is saying is that it is referred to as a "glider" not a "slide" because of that difference-slides have sides, and this glider does not. But I'm pretty sure that the equipment has been safety tested and is approved--check to make sure though. The kids can play on it by sliding down on their bottom like a regular slide, holding on to the sides with their hands, or they can use their thighs to control their speed, or they can sit on it side-saddle and sort of surf down it. I haven't played on one, but have looked on their website (www.playlsi.com) at them... I know our district guy was like 'hmmm' when he saw it, not sure if it was going to pass the district's safety standards, which are more stringent and trying to prevent potential lawsuits, but we may have him go visit one and see what he thinks because I think the Evos line would be great for the older elementary kids. Our district allows ribbon slides, and this is not too different from a ribbon slide in that regard (that there are no sides, and you're relying on the kids muscle power to figure out how to slide down it).
I would talk with someone from Landscape to clarify if you have specific questions. But to clarify what I was saying, and as you may know but people out there reading this may not, there are specific ASTM safety standards for each type of playground equipment. But each type of playground equipment also is defined as having certain characteristics and one of the characteristics of a slide is that there is a certain amount of lip on the sides (I would have to check my NPSI books to give this exact information). Because this "glider" does not actually have a lip, it cannot be classified as a slide so you cannot apply the ASTM Standards for slides to this piece. That includes the use zones to each side and out in front of the slide footing. It was described to us as a "glider" and what the ASTM standards and use zones, etc. for gliders are I am not certain of. It does meet ASTM and safety standards, just not necessarily the specific ones for slides. Does that make sense?
As for how you play on it, well, that is up to you!
I do agree that I think this is a great type of equipment for the older elementary kids. I wonder how some of the younger kids would do with it. Anyone have any experience to comment?
Dennis
