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What is the Playground Equipment for Sale?

Introduction

Play is an essential aspect of children's development. It positively impacts the physical and mental health of the children. Such activities also foster creativity, critical thinking, and social skills. Schools, parks, and communities must create a safe and engaging playground to provide all these benefits. In this blog, we will explore the different aspects of equipment suppliers and the benefits of investing in commercial playground equipment for sale.

Impact of Play on Child’s Development

Are you looking for some of the play's impacts on your child? It is a fact that sport has always benefited the kids. Playground equipment suppliers significantly add elements that contribute to the wellness of the kids.

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Elevate Your Park with Kalispel Metal Products: Quality Picnic Tables, Benches, and Garbage Cans

As the warmer temperatures of spring arrive and parks become a hub of outdoor activities, providing your visitors with comfortable and long-lasting amenities is crucial. Kalispel Metal Products offers a wide range of items that make enjoying a day in the sunshine a walk in the park! We have picnic tables, benches, trail markers, garbage cans, and much more that are the perfect choice for enhancing any park or outdoor space.   

   

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AAPRA 2023 Extern Recruitment Announcement

The American Academy for Park & Recreation Administration Announces the 2023 Externship Program!

National Recreation & Park Association Annual Conference

The Academy’s Externship Program enables outstanding young professionals 35 years of age and younger in the parks and recreation field to interact with and learn from  American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration members, and other individuals who attend the NRPA Conference and its associated meetings. Up to four Externs are selected each year, two of which are Ernest T. Atwell diversity externs. Externs are paired with Academy members who serve as mentors during the NRPA Conference as well as past externs who serve as buddies and assist in making the most out of the experience.

Read Complete Extern Flier & Application

WRPA Award Nominations Are Now Open

WRPA Award Nominations Are Now Open – I am talking to All of YOU

Jennifer Papich, WRPA Past President 

Each year it saddens me when I see the extremely small numbers of nominations we have submitted for professional and spotlight awards because I know how fantastic you all are and I know the tremendous work we all do that deserves to be celebrated, recognized, and honored.

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2022 WRPA Award Recipients

Congratulations, 2022 Award Recipients!

This spring, we want to honor the amazing people, parks, and programs that received an award at the awards ceremony during the 75th Annual WRPA Conference. The WRPA Awards Program honors individuals and organizations for their contributions to the field of recreation and parks in Washington State. A variety of awards were handed out to WRPA members and public citizens. 

There are three categories recognized for WRPA's Awards Program: Professional Awards, Citation of Merit Awards, and Spotlight Awards. In addition to these categories, WRPA also acknowledges Mickey Corso Leadership Grant recipients.

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Public Survey: Outdoor Recreation Participation

Seeking Public Input!

 

Please help: take the survey, share the survey.

Hello Recreation and Conservation Partner Organization, 

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RCO Application Webinars: Learn How to Apply

RCO Application Webinars: Learn How to Apply

A message from: Recreation and Conservation (RCO)

Happy 2022! The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is kicking off its application cycle with a Webinar on February 17 from 9-10 a.m. followed by Q&A breakout sessions with grant managers from 10-10:30 a.m. You won’t want to miss it if you are thinking of applying for a grant for your outdoor recreation or habitat conservation project!

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Legislative Day 2022

By Sylvana Niehuser

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A New Splash Pad Surfacing Standard

Guest Post By Life Floor

 

By: Briana Massie, Marketing Manager for Life Floor ([email protected])

Playgrounds and splash pads are designed with very similar intentions in mind. Both provide play features and open spaces that encourage imaginative exploration, running, and risky play opportunities. Playgrounds feature spring riders, slides, and play panels whereas splash pads feature spray jets, dump buckets, and water slides. Where playgrounds are generally dry, splash pads feature constantly flowing water. However, where playgrounds require safety surfacing, splash pads are still being commonly surfaced with concrete, tile, or stone. If splash pads are essentially wet playgrounds (leaving visitors more prone to accident and injury), how are hard, slick surfacing options still permitted?

Why Don't We Often See Safety Surfacing at Splash Pads if They're Playgrounds too?

The aquatics industry is so accustomed to seeing concrete and other surfaces at pools that it has turned a blind eye to the problem with using it at splash pads. Many people believe that concrete isn’t an issue at all and that it’s perfectly safe for aquatic play areas. Forty years ago, concrete was considered perfectly safe for dry playgrounds too. It took 78 years from the time dry playgrounds were first introduced in 1903 for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to publish the Handbook for Public Playground Safety in 1981. 

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Increasing Play Value At Aquatic Facilities

Guest Post by Life Floor

By: Briana Massie, Marketing Manager for Life Floor ([email protected])

Everyone experiences play in different ways. It’s the reason why there isn’t just one type of spray feature or just one type of pool. Aquatic environments are always changing and adapting to new trends and regulations in the industry. Likewise, aquatic facility directors and operators are constantly evaluating updates that will deliver increased value to their guests and members. In order to provide features that appeal to a wide variety of individuals, facility staff members need to choose what combination of elements will allow for limitless play for their intended audiences.

Providing options for guests to engage with a facility in different ways is a crucial component of play value. Play value directly influences guest perception of a facility and can be a determining factor of whether or not guests will return. For example, if a child has a better experience at a park farther away, parents may be more inclined to return to that park even if it is more inconvenient. 

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Washington Community Forestry Council (WCFC) Recruitment

Join Our Advisory Council

Support the mission of DNR's Urban & Community Forestry Program

The Washington Community Forestry Council (WCFC) is a statewide advisory council comprised of volunteer members representing diverse perspectives on urban forestry in Washington state. Their purpose is to help support the mission of DNR’s Urban & Community Forestry Program* and advise the Commissioner of Public Lands and DNR on statewide issues pertaining to urban and community forestry.

The council is currently recruiting for three positions that need to be filled by early 2022. In general, the council is seeking applicants who can represent the following interests:

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Take Our Survey: RCO Acquisition-Development Funds

RCO Acquisition-Development Funds

RCW 79A.15.050

RCO’s Outdoor Recreation Account is distributed according to RCW 79A.15.050.  We want to assess if there is interest by the WRPA membership to recommend changes to these allocations.  

Take the Survey

Outdoor recreation account—Distribution and use of moneys.

(2) Moneys appropriated beginning July 1, 2016, for this chapter to the outdoor recreation account shall be distributed in the following way:



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New! Discover Pass Free Days 2022

Discover Pass free days honor Indigenous people, Black history, mental health

A News Release from Washington State Parks

OLYMPIA – Nov. 10, 2021 – Washington State Parks has designated the free days in 2022 when visitors will not need a Discover Pass to park at state parks and on recreation lands managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

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Call for 2021 Local Success Stories

Share Your Greatest Achievements from the Past Year

WRPA is bringing back the Success Story Program.

2021 has not quite been the year we were hoping for. However, WRPA is proud to see so many professionals from our industry are who still hard at work making this pandemic a little easier for our communities.

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RCO Needs Your Feedback About Recreation

RCO Needs Your Feedback About Recreation

Where Do You Recreate, What Gaps Are There, and Where Should State Money Be Invested?

A message from the Recreation and Conservation Office

You probably have heard that the state is looking for public comments about where they like to recreate, what gaps there are, and where they think the state should invest money in recreation. Below are links to the news release and social media about how we are collecting data / what it will be used for. Be sure to also take the survey.

Take the Survey

Auburn’s REC Teen Center Is Full of Energy this Fall

WRPA Agency Member Spotlight

Photo of kids preparing for a race outside Photo of kids doing crafts at a table Photo of a kid blowing bubbles with their mask down Photo of a kid playing about to shoot a basketball

Teens in Auburn, WA were excited to hang out, have fun, and play as Auburn’s REC Teen Center reopened in September after an 18-month closure due to pandemic restrictions.

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Fire Restrictions and Park Closures—Effective: August 12, 2021

Washington State Parks

Fire Restrictions and Park Closures—Effective August 12, 20201

Washington State Parks is working with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to identify wildfire high-risk areas and taking steps to mitigate those risks while closely coordinating with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Governor’s Office on closure planning.

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Enumclaw to Open New Outdoor Fitness Feature

The Fitness Court® Opens August 11, All Welcome at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

New, State-of-the-Art Facility Made Possible with Grant from the National Fitness Campaign

Outdoor fitness court featuring metal bars and rings, as well as concrete platforms of various heights

In 2020, the City of Enumclaw was awarded a $30,000 grant from the National Fitness Campaign (NFC) as part of its annual grant program in the 2020 Healthy Cities Campaign. Additional funding for the project was made possible by the City and local businesses, both financially and in-kind.

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Keeping Youth Safe Playing the Sports They Love – BIAWA’s Connection to Parks & Recreation

Guest Post by the Brain Injury Alliance of Washington

By Suzette Hart, Marketing & Development Director, Brain Injury Alliance of Washington

Youth sports create a direct connection between the parks and recreation field and the work of the Brain Injury Alliance of Washington (BIAWA). WRPA members organize and administer sports leagues and/or coordinate with sports leagues that use public facilities. BIAWA fully embraces the importance of play, participation, and engagement in sports. That said, BIAWA also recognizes the possibility that injuries can and do occur during play.

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TREAD | Trails for All

TREAD

About T.R.E.A.D

Most of us love our Region’s outstanding systems. These trails provide exercise, escape, and enjoyment. We understand that it’s vital to take care of the system that has quickly become one of the most recognized assets of our community. And visitors are discovering and enjoying our trails, too.

TREAD is leading a project called TREAD Map. This comprehensive trail mapping app allows locals and visitors to plan the next outing, share experiences and conditions out on the trails or water, create connections with other trail enthusiasts and provide all the various land managers with a portal to create two-way communication with user groups and individuals.

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