Overview

Brightwater School chose Bounce Bark® certified playground surfacing because it was a natural product, sourced and manufactured locally and certified to the NZS 5828:2015 standard. Bounce Bark® provides great impact protection, keeping their kids safe during play time.

Background

Brightwater School (established in 1888) is a semi-rural school just outside of Nelson.They are the heart of the community and their playground is enjoyed by all.

The school recognized the need for an updated playground that would meet the current safety standards while still providing a natural and engaging play environment. The previous playground had been in use for over two decades, and the playground surface has deteriorated and compacted making it unsafe for kids to play on. 

There was a lot of community fundraising to bring this project together, highlighting the strong commitment and investment of the local community in the school's future.

Challenges

The existing playground was well past its usable life, posing safety concerns for the children and the community members who frequently visited the school. It was clear the school's playground needed a new playground surface after more than 2 decades of play time. 

Over time, all playground surfaces deteriorate. Artificial playgrounds fade and get wear and tear, whereas natural surfaces like bark and woodchip start to break down and compact, similar to sand. 

It is extremely important to maintain playground surfaces. For natural bark media getting regular top ups ensure your playground stays within the regulations of the NZS 5828:2015 standard and reduce injuries.

Assessment

Safety was of huge importance to Brightwater school, so after researching the different options of playground surfaces available and an on-site consultation with Azwood®, they settled on Bounce Bark® due to it being locally sourced and manufactured and also being certified to the current standards.

To maintain safety, it's essential that the ground beneath playground equipment offers cushioning and impact absorption. There are various materials for playground surfaces, each with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Learn more about the different types of playground surfaces.

Bounce Bark® is manufactured in Nelson Tasman from locally sourced wood residues left over from forestry operations. This sustainable approach of repurposing wood residues that would otherwise be considered as waste creates a circular economy by creating a product that is put back into the earth. 

One of the benefits of using this natural media, is that once it can no longer be used as a playground surface, it can be repurposed again as mulch for the schools gardens.

Outcome

Bounce Bark transformed the school's outdated playground into a safe, attractive, and community-centered play area. 

The school organised a working bee to get the bark spread so it could be enjoyed by all and this project reflected the dedication of the school and the local community. 

To ensure the safety of the playground, Azwood® provides smaller annual top-ups of Bounce Bark®. These annual deliveries keep the playground in optimal condition, ensuring that its maintained and remains certified keeping their kids safe during play time.

Azwood works to the regulations of the NZS 5828:2015 standard to ensure the bark is at the right depth for the height and area of the playground equipment