Click here to watch the video

The Myers Park UMC in Charlotte worked with us to design and create their new natural playground.  The project design was the most intricate; as we knew those would be a major portfolio piece for the Natural Playgrounds aspect for Creative Playscapes.  We had a lot of fun designing and building this very unique natural playground.

Jon was really on his game when he drew this playground outline.  I am always amazed at the skills my friend has and he really blew everyone away with this natural playground layout.  Here are a few of the play areas Jon designed into the playground and as always, we encourage you to watch our videos and visit our website.

• Water Stream w/ Boat & Water Fall
• Rope Climb
• Slide
• 5’ Mountain w/ Stairs
• Chalk Board
• Production Stage
• Planter Boxes

We appreciate Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte for allowing Jon to video this project for our website and You Tube channel.

#NaturalPlaygroundCharlotte

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Natural Playground at Myers Park UMC in Charlotte NC Video 2 first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Click here to watch the video

The Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, hired us to design and build a natural playground.  We had a lot of fun designing and building this very unique natural playground.

A lot of thought went into the design by Jon and he really exceeded expectations with the natural playground.  Here are a few of the play areas Jon designed into the playground and as always, we encourage you to watch our videos and visit our website.

• Prayer Flags
• Tree Stumps
• Balance Beams
• 170’ Trike Path/Boardwalk
• Sand Pit
• Music Area
• Hiding Bench
• Log Cabin

We appreciate Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte for allowing Jon to video this project for our website and You Tube channel.

#NaturalPlaygroundCharlotte

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Natural Playground at Myers Park UMC in Charlotte NC first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Click here to watch the video

7^th and final video on installing a playground for The Williams Center in Charlotte, Jon has done a wonderful job of filming and narrating this series.  We hope you enjoyed watching us install the safety surface and will check back later for more videos from Creative Playscapes.

We are wrapping up the PIP (Pour in Place) playground surfacing, with the last of the sandy bordering surface.  You can easily see the green EDPM surface around the climbing area of the playground and listen as Jon describes the Trike Path, to give the kids a walkway/roadway to guide them through the playground.  Jon designed a trellis into this project for the kids to play under and add additional shade.

This is the final day of the playground surface installation and completion of the project.  We appreciate The Williams Center in Charlotte allowing Jon to video this project for our website and You Tube channel.

We are already planning our next video series!

#RubberPlaygroundSurface

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Charlotte Playground Project – Video 7 Completed Rubber Playground Surface first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Click here to watch the video

This is video #6 of the 7 video collections on the process of installing a playground for The Williams Center in Charlotte.  Jon is our videographer and narrator.  We hope you enjoy this particular video where the colored EDPM is being installed.  Click here to learn more about playground safety surfaces.

We are nearing completion of the PIP (Pour in Place) playground surfacing, with the “Blue Water” section of the playground complete; we are working on the “Sand Colored” areas.  When finished (next video) we will have the “Green Colored” surfacing in place, mimicking the grass and be finished with the playground surface.

Colored rubber safety surfacing uses:

• Provide a “Cushiony” top surface
• Add color
• Create a theme
• Add attractiveness to the playground

Jon mentioned a “Work-Around” in the previous video, in this next to last video, you can see how we installed the sleeves for the delayed playground equipment, we are ready to install upon arrival.  Staying productive is important to staying on schedule.

Again in this video, Jon refers to the good weather.  Late May in Charlotte typically gets a lot of summer storms which could hamper our production; this good weather actually has us ahead of schedule.

Stay tuned as we complete The Williams Center playground project in our next and last video of this trilogy.

#ColoredPlaygroundSurface

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Charlotte Playground Project – Video 6 Sand Colored Rubber Surfacing first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Click here to watch the video

This is video #5 of the 7 video collections on the process of installing a playground for The Williams Center in Charlotte.  Jon is our videographer and narrator.  We hope you enjoy this particular video where the colored EDPM is being installed.  Click here to learn more about playground safety surfaces.

We top off the rubber safety surface with the EDPM (Ethylene-propylene rubbers & elastomers) colored surfacing.  This project incorporated “Hippos and Alligators” so we used a “Blue Water” colored safety surface to imitate the water these animals live in.  The “water theme” used for this Charlotte playground is an excellent example of how we use our safety surfaces for more than just protection.

Colored rubber safety surfacing has a plethora of uses:

• Add color
• Create a theme
• Add attractiveness to the playground

Jon talks about a delay, notice how we were able to continue working and not delay the project due to circumstances beyond our control.  Our goal is to always stay on schedule and on budget, this is an example of how we can do a “Work-Around” and stay productive.

Listen to Jon mention the weather in this video, it was late May when this video was shot.  Weather does have an effect on when and how we can apply the rubber safety surfacing, but this particular day was perfect early summer temperatures.

#ColoredPlaygroundSurface

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Charlotte Playground Project – Video 5 Blue Water Colored Playground Surfacing first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Click here to watch the video

This is video 4 of the 7 video collections on the process of installing a playground for The Williams Center in Charlotte.  Jon is our videographer and narrator.  We hope you enjoy this particular video where we are beginning the installation of the rubber safety surface.  Click here to learn more about playground safety surfaces.

The base of the rubber safety surface is being installed; we use a 1 ½” amount of base to add a more protective level of safety.  Regulations vary, but we typically exceed the required amount of rubber base that is required for numerous reasons, mainly the safety of the kids.

Jon describes the install and mentions the Ethylene-propylene rubbers & elastomers (also called EPDM and EPM); this is state of the art playground surfacing.  EPDM is made of tiny rubber pellets, incorporated on the playground site with a urethane binder to form a playground surface that is “Pliable” or “Soft” in other words it’s very durable but cushiony too.  We also use this top surface to add the color and vibrancy to the playground.  A later video will reveal how Jon incorporated a “train-track” into the surface of this project.

We install EDPM Surfacing in a variety of depths, using a fall guide AKA compliance regulations based on the fall height requirements of the playground equipment we are installing.  Playground safety is a topic we feel strongly about, EPDM is the surface coverage we recommend.

#PlaygroundSafetySurface

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Charlotte Playground Project – Video 4 EPDM Rubber Playground Surfacing first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Video 3 

This is video 3 of the 7 video collections on the process of installing a playground for The Williams Center in Charlotte.  Jon is our videographer and narrator.  We hope you enjoy this video series.  Click here to visit our website and view more playgrounds.

In an incredibly productive week, the Creative Playscapes installation team has The Williams Center in Charlotte’s playground equipment erected and tested for durability.  Numerous variables factor into the installation timeframe, especially the weather.  It was a very pleasant week in May, which allowed us to work full time without interruptions and install the Charlotte playground in one week.

We hope you are enjoying this series of the playground we are installing in Charlotte at The Williams Center; we appreciate their consent to record and publish this series.  Jon is enjoying the process and being out of the office and has commented to me many times how he is enjoying the wonderful weather and documenting our process.  We welcome your comments regarding this project or any questions about playground equipment or safety surfaces.

#CharlottePlayground

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Charlotte Playground Project – Video 3 Playground Installed first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Video 2

Here we see that the playground equipment has been delivered to the Charlotte site and we are ready to begin installation in the next video.  All of our steel and aluminum playground equipment is powder coated with an environmentally safe (and child safe) coating, this coating not only adds colorful beauty to the playground equipment itself, it is a major deterrent for rust and a positive replacement for paint (especially the old lead based paint).

In the next video of this series, Jon will describe the playground as it has been installed and the arrival of the safety surface materials.

Click here to view more of our playstructures.

#CharlottePlayground

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Charlotte Playground Project – Video 2 Playground Equipment first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Video 1

This is video 1 of a series of 7 where we developed the playground site, installed the new playground equipment and finished with the rubber surfacing.  Jon is our videographer and narrator.  We hope you enjoy this video series.

Jon describes the layout of the playground, including trike paths, slides and shade structures.  He also included trees to be planted that will provide natural shade in the years to come.  One aspect we/Jon prefer to include is natural foliage, vegetation and shade.  In this project, Jon added several trees to accent the already existing trees (which Jon will describe in a later video) on site.

#CharlottePlayground

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Charlotte Playground Project – Video 1 Playground Base System first appeared on Creative Playscapes.