the "MASTER PLAN PLAYGROUND"

The parks and playgrounds master plan concept was typified by Northbrook, Ill., in developing its own parks and playgrounds. On easel is parks overview plan, and on table is definitive playground equipment layout.

Two Illinois cities—Northbrook and Chicago Heights—are involved with nationally recognized recreational planning projects which will very likely become the mode for recreational planning programs of the future.

This new concept in playground planning utilizes a "master plan" along with pay-as-you-go methods of acquiring land, landscaping, selection and installation of park and playground equipment. The real planning of the project takes place with well-designed, colorful layouts and the combined creativity and skills of various lighting and equipment suppliers.

During these planning stages each component of the park or playground is spotted where it belongs on the master plan and each is priced so that commissioners and communities know exactly what's going on and how much it costs. When it's all put together, you end up with an aspiring, long-range recreational planning program like the ones in Northbrook, Chicago Heights and Calumet City.

The use of plans and color graphics has launched Northbrook on an exciting recreational development, funded by a $1,900,000 general obligation bond issue.

With an architect's overview and specific playgrounds layouts, the various civic groups can "see" what the playground areas will eventually look like.

This playground layout depicts the "pad" arrangement of equipment by age groups. This is one of a variety or color layouts offered by Miracle Recreation Equipment Co. to parks and recreation directors throughout the United States.

"With the visual concept," Joe Doud, parks director, said, "our people can envision down the road and they contribute to the plan in many ways."

The Northbrook Garden Club donated a $15,000 garden. The Jaycettes sold hot dogs on a vacant lot for two years, raised $1,800 on the pledge the city would match what they earned and it did. They now have a lively, well-equipped tot lot.

The Northbrook Civic Foundation had donated a wading pool. The parks commission has received donations of trucks and tractors for maintenance. The Northbrook Civic Women's Group equips concession stands, buys trophies for competitive events.

The "plan" is generating so much involvement it makes updating of the master plan a constant activity.

Northbrook children are swinging, climbing, sliding, bouncing, whirling, hanging and chinning on a variety of colorful, safe and exciting playground equipment there.

It's been so successful that the Park District sends out sheets to civic clubs listing supplies or equipment needed and, the clubs pick off what they like, raise the money and donate it.

Layouts in the Chicago Heights parks development program are invaluable in selling the citizens on what they are going to get for the $24-per-head tax they pay for recreational and leisure facilities.

There the concept of a major piece of equipment surrounded by smaller pieces is the theme. In one park, an Imagine City, a composite of ladders, climbers, slides, poles, lookout towers, is the center

Illinois Parks and Recreation 24 November/December, 1974

piece. At Beacon Hill Park, an Astro City, combination of ramps, swinging bridge, hideaways, slides, a rocket with a lookout nose cone 33 feet high, is the attention-getter.

Chicago Heights, population 49,000 gets its parks and recreation money through millage levy within the community. After 2 1/2 years of development, the community has its future planned, costed and designed on a 7-year program. New in Chicago Heights planning is the combination school-playground recreational areas that get year-round, day-night use, and the "pad concept of different equipment for different age groups of children.

City engineers do the overviews of park areas, landscaping and recreational areas. Parks officials ask equipment manufacturers to provide free safety-planned playgrounds with actual locations of equipment and cost of each item on color layouts for a comprehensive view.

"With these engineering, landscape and playground layouts the Chicago Heights people can see what they are going to get before it is done. The layouts are very effective in planning and are almost 100 per cent effective in winning public approval.

Northbrook and Chicago Heights were two of five cities in the United States receiving national recognition for their playground planning programs in a cover story by American City magazine, the nation's most prestigious governmental publication, in the July issue.

The simple, proportional, safety and beauty designed color layouts for the playground equipment has become the best tool in the recreational director's planning and promotion kit.

(For more information contact Joe Doud, Director, Northbrook Park District)

Illinois Parks and Recreation 25 November/December 1974