Why aren't modern playgrounds built in the shade?

Question

My four-year-old loves to go to the playground. But it's summer, and I've discovered that most playgrounds have no shade whatsoever. Here we are in a beautiful park with huge, beautiful shade trees all around us--and, in a flat treeless area out of range of any shade whatsoever, sits some plastic and metal playground equipment on a bed of wood chips.

Not even the parent benches have shade most of the time. They're hard metal, uncomfortable, and blazing hot after ten o'clock in the morning.

I know there must be a good reason for this... probably some silly liability issue. But I can't imagine what it would be. How would it increase the park's liability to build the playground in range of the shade trees? Any ideas?

Answer 1

Money.

It's cheaper and faster to clear out the trees and pull in the playground equipment.

My dad has been in the construction business for 45 years. I asked him once about residential subdivisions being totally cleared of any tree before construction begins, why couldn't they leave some big old trees and build around them? I understand not leaving all, but some.

He said it was much more time (on the clock) for the designers/architects/engineers to come up with a safe and aesthetically pleasing plan and time consuming for the crew to put together something that had be built around an existing structure.

Our town has some great playgrounds with canopies on them, and on that recycled rubber flooring that's got a "spring" to it.

**rally your fellow parents to city hall and get one of these built!!
shade- http://www.shadesystemsinc.com/gallery.htm
floor- http://www.floorscore.com/playground/

Answer 2

The sun kills germs. Germs thrive in the shade and dark cold. Sun hits the playground equipment and wah-lah. That's why I always opt for the outdoor playground equipment instead of the ones inside the malls. Those are just crawling with germs and bacteria! Try taking your little one to the park after waking and before the sun goes down. You also might try bringing a large beach unbrella to stick in the ground for a nice cool sitting area and place to pic-nic.

Answer 3

Maybe the designers are thinking that kids NEED some time in the sun each day, and that their time at the park is the only time they might be outside playing. Maybe you could bring a blanket for the bench? Or better yet, play with your child?

Answer 4

For the same reason that most public pools are in the sun. Because the Shade draws bugs. All sorts of Bugs. Mesquites, spiders, Bees, wasps. etc.

Answer 5

Probably because the roots of the trees could come up out of the ground and cause problems with the equipment...have you seen what they can do to sidewalks?

Answer 6

I agree with you. The people that come up with these things don't have children and don't know what it is like.