PLAY POD PLAYGROUND
FRANKFORT PARK DISTRICT
FRANKFORT, IL

BUTTERNUT PARK PLAY PODS

Butternut Park is a beautiful site with wooded areas surrounding an open field area. The Frankfort Park District wanted to add a neighborhood park playground to the site in 2006. Robert Collins, working with Recreation Concepts at the time, suggested a “Play Pods” concept to place the playground in smaller pods in the wooded area. This had the advantage of locating the playground with easy access from the street, as well as preserving the open space for sporting activities. Even better, it would encourage the playground users to interact with the wooded natural area. The play pods concept is an excellent way to incorporate play equipment into natural areas, creating a fun and unique playvironment.

In order to place the play pods to minimize environmental impact, and maximize access, Collins conducted a detailed site inventory and located all of the desirable shade trees. Once these were plotted onto the site plan, the play pods were located and the play equipment designed. The play pods would be located so that the school age pod is closest to the access point. A smaller tot pod is located a little further in, and then the swing pod, with the tot and belt swings, is located in a larger open area adjacent to the turf.

BUTTERNUT PARK PAVILION

To enhance interaction with the natural environment, the talk tubes are located in the woods between the tot and school age pods.

To finish off the site plan, a pavilion is located between the wooded and the open turf areas.

Butternut Park was one of the earliest nature integrated playgrounds, and today, this has become a popular trend. RGC Design is a pioneer in this design concept, and Butternut Park is an excellent example of a nature-integrated playvironment.