New or upgraded playgrounds became a reality for over 125 southern California neighborhoods and schools this past year, and RecWest is excited to have played a role in expanding the play possibilities for so many kids and families. Studies show that play is an important part of physical and mental development in children, and schools and communities are prioritizing high-quality, high-value play spaces.
We are grateful for the trust placed in us by so many in 2018, and humbled by the opportunity to create exhilarating and safe play spaces alongside the combined efforts of community members, partners, city officials, and project advocates.
Our team at RecWest truly loves what we do! It’s an honor to play an integral part of community development, especially when you see people who care so deeply making dreams come true for thousands of kids.
After 25 years in business, we’re continually inspired by advancements in playground equipment technologies and materials. They offer a flexible foundation which can be configured to best meet the needs of varying age groups, interests, and abilities. During the last four years we have also broadened and diversified our product lines to best serve our customers, carrying Aquatix splash pads, DuMor Site furnishings, Classic Recreation Steel Shelters, and SkyWays fabric shelters.
We’d love to share a few project highlights from 2018 with you that may inspire ideas for your next project.
2018 Playground Highlights in Southern California
Hoover Rec is located at 1010 W 25th St, Los Angeles, is open to the public, and ready for you to stop by and play. We provided design assistance on this project in collaboration with Los Angeles Parks Foundation. A welcome feature everyone appreciates is the integrated shade for UV protection incorporated into this project.
Branford Park is located at 13306 Branford St, Pacoima, is open to the public, and ready for playdates. This playground was designed by RecWest and also features integrated shade for UV protection.
Conejo Elementary School in Thousand Oaks had us design playgrounds for the main yard and kindergarten yard in collaboration with the school site council. They feature an integrated shade and themed GFRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete), inspired by nature.
St. Matthias School in Huntington Park installed a new playground in their main yard and is already welcoming students to play. It was designed by RecWest in collaboration with their school site council. It features integrated shade and custom wrought iron fencing.
Pismo Lighthouse Suites located in Pismo Beach is ready for hotel guests to enjoy. This beautiful ocean-side hotel asked us to redesign their entire family play deck with a custom Landscape Structures Nautical Themed playground. It features rubberized surfacing with custom graphics that match the theme of the play structure and map out other games such as hopscotch, giant chess, and badminton.
Sun Valley Rec Center in Los Angeles offers a new playground that includes custom integrated sun shades that are unique to Landscape Structures, both over the main play structure, as well as the ZipKrooz.
Jalama Beach Playground is located in secluded Jalama Beach County Park in Lompoc, CA. This playground is a welcome addition to this well-known camping and surfing destination right on the beach. We created a very unique custom look to match the community, including surfboard climbers, wave climbers, a “surf shack,” and custom VW Bus driving panel.
Wagon Wheel Towne Square Park is located in Oxnard and open to the public. It features a unique, never-before integrated shade design by RecWest.
What’s New This Year?
With playgrounds being a timeless outlet for kids to release energy, use their creativity, work on social skills, and build mental and physical health through play, we’re going to see an increased focus on developing versatile and challenging Universally Accessible playgrounds for both public parks and schools. Those in Los Angeles County will also see interesting development projects throughout the area, as attentions turn toward preparing outdoor facilities for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.