Results of survey #1
Thank you for contributing to the Old Post Park Playground Survey #1.
We are thankful for all those who contributed. The information below is a summary of what we heard from the community.
Preferred playground equipment
This chart indicates playground equipment specified by survey respondents. Some of the playground equipment types have been grouped together for the purpose of information sharing. Our project manager has retained more detailed notes.
| Type of Playground Equipment | Number of Votes | Type of Playground Equipment | Number of Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slides | 35 | Net Climber | 6 |
| Swings | 30 | Bridge | 5 |
| Climbing Equipment | 20 | Obstacle Course | 5 |
| Monkey Bars | 16 | Rope Climber | 5 |
| Rock Wall/Climbing Wall | 16 | Spring Toy | 5 |
| Spinner | 12 | Balance Features | 4 |
| Zipline | 12 | Play Panels - Musical | 4 |
| Play Panels | 11 | Fire Pole | 3 |
| Sandbox | 8 | Parent/Tot Swing | 2 |
| Swings - Saucer | 7 |
Tunnels | 2 |
| Teeter Totter | 7 |
Quiet Zone | 1 |
Please note that the existing swings at the playground site will remain, and no additional swings are included in the playground replacement project. Other equipment pieces will be included in a list of preferred playground elements when we issue the request for playground equipment design.
Playground themes
According to the survey results, users preferred the following themes:
- Creative and imaginative playgrounds
- Colourful playgrounds
- Playgrounds with natural features
- Traditional type play equipment
Playground surface
Survey respondents generally preferred wood chip or rubber type surfacing, however engineered wood fibre surfacing will be used to meet accessibility standards while preserving budget for playground equipment.
Accessibility
While no survey respondents indicated a need for enhanced accessibility, respondents did show significant interest in an accessible playground design.
To meet current design guidelines the playground area will be designed to include an accessible ramp into the playground area. The playground equipment will be designed to meet CSA-Z106-20 guidelines and will include a variety of accessible features as recommended by the guideline.
Additional playground design notes
The following themes emerged from survey responses regarding the playground:
- The playground should cater to users of varying ages.
- Residents would like to see additional benches, and picnic tables near the playground area.
- The playground area needs more shade.
- There is interest in planting additional shade trees, particularly native trees.
The playground will be designed to fulfill these needs while reflecting project budget.
Additional survey data
In addition to information collected about the playground design, a number of other requests were made to improve Old Post Park playground. These included:
- An enhanced waste system
- Additional pathway infrastructure
- A shade structure
- Sports facilities
- Dog park amenities
- A skateboard park
- A spray pad
- Fitness equipment
- A community garden
- Additional winter amenities
While these amenities fall outside of the scope of this project, city staff will explore the opportunity to include amenities like these in Waterloo parks through the long term implementation of the parkland strategy and future capital parks projects. We urge you to explore parks and projects across the city that include listed features, such as the Albert McCormick Community Centre skate park and splash pad project. Should community members like to implement a shared vegetable garden, we encourage you to explore our Community Garden Toolkit to determine viability of this feature for your community.
