Martinson Playground Improvements 2017 Presentation to MES PTO

Martinson Playground Improvements 2017 Presentation to: MES PTO January 11, 2017

Who is the Playground Committee and MES Project Staff ? Playground Committee • Marcy Strazer Concannon • Anna Baker • Joanie Pozerski • Adrienne Vigilante MES Project Staff – Leslie Scollins – Jeff Dunn – Rick Wheaton

Why does our playground need improvements? • The main play structure is over 30 years old. It had been moved from FBMS in 1999. • It’s at the end of its expected life span and in need of more and more repairs. • As need for repairs increase it’s really difficult for MES staff to get them repaired in a timely manner. • The swings were removed all of last year. Five of the six swings were installed this fall. The swing structure has a lot of rust , and severely bent support pole. • The Monkey Bars are only allowed for 4 th and 5 th graders. • It is outdated. MES has the highest population of ASD, disabled and high needs students in the Marshfield District. • * Current playground equipment offers more dynamic, multi-dimensional and sensory experiences.

Playground Equipment • Play equipment has evolved and some companies offer: – Dynamic and thoughtful designs to maximize inclusive and collaborative play. – Accommodates more kids, more play options, more social play and interactions, more activity, more interesting challenges, especially upper body. • Playgrounds are the most gender-equal play scapes compared to fields, basketball courts, hockey rinks, skate parks that are overwhelmingly (not solely!) used by boys. • School playgrounds offer the most upper body challenges and movements.

Martinson play structure today

Martinson Swings

The MES Field

What have we done so far? • Submitted grant request for $205, 000 to Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for Open Space/Recreation funds. • Developed Fundraising Strategy, Plan and identifying and applying for grants. • Researched playground equipment companies and installers. • Visited new playgrounds in the area. • Gathered the students’ brainstorming and drawings for a new playground.

Martinson kids want…. . (results of Open House brainstorming poster) • • • Rock Wall Zip Line Better Fields (football, baseball, soccer) Swings Monkey Bars Swinging Spinning Bar Fire Pole Tire Swing Better Grass (around play area, diff. from the fields) Slides, taller, curvy Geo Spinner Spider Web climbing ropes

Playground Equipment Companies We considered three companies. • 1. Childscapes (built the DWS and current MES playground) • 2. Landscape Structures Inc. (Built most of Governor Winslow School’s new playground • 3. Kompan – Recently installed 4 new playgrounds in Falmouth, Fall River and Martha’s Vineyard. What are we looking for? • Excellent, long-lasting, durable, safe and exciting play equipment. • Equipment that meets a variety of interests, abilities and ages, though targeted at age 5 -12. • A Company with excellent track record, customer service, integrity and responsiveness to our needs and/or needed repairs. • A Company that will design the best and most exciting playground for Martinson students.

Daniel Webster School (By Childscapes, installed in 2015)

Governor Winslow School • Installed a ropes/cables intensive structure from Landscape Structures Inc. (LSI) and a large spinner from Berliner. • Installed Rubber Flooring. • Their total project budget was about $270, 000. About 1/3 was spent on the rubber flooring. • GWS received $125, 000 in CPC funds.

Kompan … • U. S. -based with offices and supplies in Tacoma, WA and now Austin, TX. • Superior quality, longer warranties on key pieces like the Corocord ropes, more durable and each piece allows kids to come back to it, navigate in new and exciting ways to use their body, strength and balance • Exciting products offering collaborative and inclusive play options. • We have had the best rapport with the Kompan sales representative. He is based in Rhode Island. • Kompan has just built 3 new playgrounds, installed by DPW, in the Falmouth schools and town. Falmouth had LSI products prior to switching to Kompan.

Kompan Six Principles for universal, inclusive design Products that are universal and inclusive should be: 1. Accessible 2. Multifunctional (when possible) 3. 360 degree design (play from all sides) 4. Diverse play options 5. Clear in color and designals 6. Provided with special solutions for special needs when relevant.

The equipment and design we are considering…. Most of the equipment is from Kompan: • Play structure with 360 degree design, slide, gliding poles and multiple play options. • Explorer Dome: mixed materials cables and climbing • Bloqx : Sculptural climbing and bouldering • Super Nova: ring spinner for standing or sitting • Spicas: 1 -4 person spinning poles • Spinner Bowls: one person, very desirable for ASD students. • Swings and Basket swings. Basket swing can hold up to 4 kids. • Global Motion Spinner (by LSI)

Kompan equipment For Martinson

Kompan Bloqx Geometric climbing blocks

Spicas and Spinning Bowls

New Playground 2017 Project Budget • Structures and Equipment • Labor, installation, site prep, etc • TOTAL $166, 200 $ 112, 500 $ 278, 700

Fundraising Plan • • PTO, Bricks and other Fundraisers Grants CPC Funds *** In-Kind and DPW contributions • TOTAL $ 48, 000 $ 20, 000 $175, 000 $ 35, 000 $278, 000

Kompan Play Structure

The Explorer Dome

Corocord and S-Clips in the Explorer Dome • Only Corocord utilizes the patented process of bonding the steel cable core to the outer rope. The bond makes it virtually impossible to expose the inner steel core and leads to maximum life span of the cable. • The stainless steel S-clamp secures the ropes so no movement occurs, while still allowing easy replacement of single ropes. • Corocord utilizes hot dip galvanized steel which, along with being a 100% efficient process, forms a metallurgical bond with the steel that makes it immune to chipping • A very durable and virtually vandalism-proof product.

The Super Nova Collaborative or individual play. A simple but challenging spinner. A very popular product at new playgrounds.

West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard (built in 2016 by Kompan)

West Tisbury

Global Motion Spinner (by LSI) See video at Playlsi. com

A small Natural Playscape with: • Added fill to make a little hill, offer varied terrain • Small in-ground slide • Climbing rope to ascend the little hill, landscaped with logs and stumps • Wood balance beams and in-ground stilts • Hopping and wood climbing options

What’s next ? • Present project and budget updates to the Community Preservation Committee on January 18, 2017. • A lot of fundraising activities. • Present at Town Meeting on April 24, 2017 for final approval of funding • CPC Funds released in July. • Order the products (which can take up to 12 weeks to order and ship). • Break ground and install in August/September 2017.