2021 Landscape Installation of the Year Award: Recreation Category

Hunter Park by Controlled PRoducts/Synthetic Turf International

Synthetic Turf International™ (STI) was selected to do the Hunter Park project in Harlingen, Texas. STI’s dealer, Park Place Recreation Design, took on laying synthetic turf for Hunter Park. The city decided to build an inclusive park for children of all abilities. The Park includes an Alta-Glide, a wheelchair-accessible glider, swing sets, and other site amenities. The city had initially decided to use wood fiber as the surfacing for the Park, but with some persuasion, Park Place Recreation Design convinced the City of Harlingen to choose synthetic turf instead.

The synthetic turf is ADA-compliant which makes it a more accessible surface for wheelchairs and crutches. This is because it is a more consistent surface than wood fiber or other playground surfaces. This makes it more compatible with wheelchairs. Our playground turf also has ChargeGuard™, which helps reduce static. ChargeGuard™ is built into the yarn and isn’t a secondary coating. Because it is built-in, that means it will last as long as the turf does. The playground also incorporated a pad that was used to create fall zones to absorb some of the shocks of the fall. These things are essential when it comes to creating a playground for kids of all abilities.

Most other playgrounds do not accommodate kids with disabilities, so the city wanted to build a playground for kids of all abilities to have a place to play with their friends. A mother was quoted in an article about the installation of the Park that she would avoid driving past parks because it made her son sad that he couldn’t play with the other kids. With the synthetic turf surface, the city has given these kids a place to be included with no difficulties getting around.

Creating a space that all children can enjoy is essential for development and making ALL kids feel included. STI’s dealer, Park Place Recreation Designs, was able to help make that happen for the children of Harlingen, Texas.