In
the fall of 2007, the Macon (Mo.) Community Child Development Center, under the
direction of Patricia Knowles, was required to provide two outdoor playground
areas for toddlers and pre-school age children to acquire licensure from the
State of Missouri, Section for Child Care Regulation.Like most childcare providers, Knowles didn’t have the staff
or expertise to design a playground that met the safety and accessibility
standards required for the age groups of the children in their care. She turned
to the experience of National Playground Compliance Group for the planning,
design, playground equipment, surfacing, and finally to serve as general
contractor to oversee the proper installation of a new toddler play area.
Program Managers were on hand from the beginning of this project to the very
end to ensure a compliant and accessible installation.
New
standards from the Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding the design of
outdoor play areas for toddlers (age 6 months to 24 months) require equipment
that is designed specifically for the physical development of these young age
groups. It is also suggested that loose fill material not be used in areas
where children are crawling and putting “everything” into their mouths.
NPCG,
as both manufacturer and general contractor, eliminates many of the costs from
third parties and is able to meet the shrinking budgets of its customers.By, providing factory-direct pricing
for professional services, equipment and surfacing, NPCG was able to provide a
cost effective, turnkey solution that met all their needs and exceeded all
their expectations.
“NPCG
planned and installed our playground and play surface at CCDC and patiently met
with us numerous times and adjusted the drawings and equipment to meet our
needs, time constraints and our budget,” says Knowles. “The NPCG staff and
installers were knowledgeable, informative and great to work with. The
equipment is age appropriate for children under two and the rubber mats provide
a surface that is easy to maintain and safe for young children.”
The
center opened on September 2nd, 2008 with an enrollment of over
fifty children enjoying the equipment every day since.
“The CCDC
Board of Directors would highly recommend NPCG for your playground! “ Knowles
added.
