As hundreds of communities across the country will testify, the benefits of community-built go well beyond the enormous cost savings. The community-built experience offers a rare opportunity for individuals to collectively give something back to their community, resulting in a beautifully crafted, unique expression of shared pride. Building community means bridging gaps. We recommend that a committee reflect the makeup of the community. It is easier to buy playground equipment than complete a community-built playground. The process is the most important product, and involving children is essential.
Project budgets range from $50,000 to $150,000 or more. We give you all the information necessary to put together a plan that includes everything needed to complete the playground from design to opening day. We’re confident we candesign and build a structure that fits your budget. Completed projects are valued at two to three times their actual cost because they are built by volunteers. Don’t let budget numbers stop you — more than half of our projects raise more than they expect. We’ll help you plan your budget and fundraising efforts.
The flexibility of our designs allows us to adapt to various situations. Communities have some choices in the materials they use. For structural support, communities may choose either pressure-treated lumber or structural plastic. Plastic composite lumber, with the look and feel of wood, is used for decking and handrails. Balusters may be built with composite lumber or metal pipe if visibility is an issue. All hardware has high-quality exterior coatings. Safety surfacing meets ASTM standards for impact attenuation and accessibility. When using wood, we apply a high-quality nontoxic sealer during construction.
The area needed will depend on the scope of your project and ranges from about 1,200 square feet (30’x 40’) to20,000 square feet (100’ x 200’). The average is about 10,000 square feet. We can design a play structure to fit almost any site. If you are unsure of the suitability of your site, please call us.
Our projects have a wide range of sizes and detail, so it is impossible to determine exact numbers needed for a successful build. The goal is to involve as many people as possible. Your designer can give you a better idea of the numbers required.
Leathers & Associates has been assisting communities with volunteer-built projects for 35 years. Our construction system has been proven over time to be both safe and volunteer friendly. Our professional designers, project managers, and construction consultants are all experienced in the uniqueness of the community-built process and are Certified Playground Safety Inspectors. Additionally, our volunteer- built structures are designed and constructed with strict adherence to all applicable nationally recognized playground safety standards and guidelines.
Absolutely! Many parks & rec directors and employees have acted as general coordinators for our projects. We encourage committees to include a parks & rec employee on the committee. We can provide references upon request.
We have worked with Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions Clubs; Optimist Clubs; military groups; PTOs and PTAs. You name it, and we’ve probably worked with them. The only thing that we ask is that these groups reach out into the community and include a diverse group of people on the steering committee. As a matter of fact, we’ve been featured in PTO, Kiwanis and Rotary publications.
Yes! Our designs conform with the Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines, ASTM International standards, and Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines that are in place at the time your playground is built.
All playgrounds require maintenance, and as with any playground, maintaining the safety surfacing is usually the largest and most important undertaking. We offer a variety of services to assist communities. For more information please contact our office.
$5,000 to $10,000 is usually a good start. Ideally, there is enough in the maintenance account so that the interest on the account pays for the primary yearly maintenance items (sealing and groundcover).
We recommend that our projects seek fiscal sponsorship (umbrella under a preexisting nonprofit such as Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.) or obtain independent 501(c)3 status. For additional information please contact our office.
The design of your playground is up to the children and parents of your community. Our designs are all “one of a kind,” taking on virtually any size and shape to fit site requirements and design criteria voiced by the community. If requested, an open, viewable approach can be taken. In addition, we sometimes use pipe balusters, which are virtually see-through in our fort/castle type structures, further opening up our designs and reducing the amount of maintenance.
In over 30 years of building with more than 1,600 playgrounds under our belt, we have learned that a playground built by the community is well cared for! Playgrounds that children design and teenagers, parents, seniors, and the community build create a strong sense of community pride and ownership, which naturally leads to better upkeep and fewer instances of vandalism.
