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 for low income housing 
 
UNlVhRSITV Oh 
 ILUIN0IS WiDR^f^Y 
 
 AT U^iANA-CHAMeAISN 
 STACKS 
 
 Frank A. Kirk, Director Department of Local Government Affairs 
 
 Jerry D. Sternstein, Chief Office of Housing and Buildings 
 
 Robert D. Katz, Chairman Housing Research and Development Program 
 
 This report is the result of the joint efforts of the Illinois Office 
 of Housing and Buildings, Department of Local Government Affairs, and 
 the Housing Research and Development Program of the University of 
 Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The work for this report was done as 
 a part of the Social Services Delivery System Project funded by and 
 for the three housing authorities of Decatur, East St. Louis, and 
 LaSalle County, Illinois. 
 
 Project Staff for This Publication 
 
 Ron j i Borooah Research Associate 
 
 Thomas Brown Research Associate 
 
 Robert Callecod Research Assistant 
 
 Ruth Kaplan Staff Assistant 
 
 John Seaman Project Director 
 
 All illustrations by Ronji Borooah. 
 
 All photographs by project staff, except for Figure 20 on page 25, 
 courtesy of Lady Allen of Hurtwood in Planning for Play (London: 
 Thames and Hudson, 1968). 
 
 First Edition: 1972 
 
 Revised Edition: 1974 
 
 Price: $4.00 per single copy 
 
 The Housing Research and Development Program is an interdisciplinary 
 unit in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana- 
 Champaign. Its aim is to facilitate teaching, research, and public 
 service in the field of housing. Teaching is carried on through the 
 existing academic structure of the University. Research is sponsored 
 both by the Program itself and by outside agencies. Public service 
 is accomplished by publishing research findings and by assisting 
 public and quasi-public agencies involved in housing and housing- 
 related activities. 
 
 Additional publications of the Housing Research and Development 
 Program are listed on the inside back cover. 
 
play areas 
 
 for low income housing 
 
 HOUSING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA -CHAMPAIGN 
 
 STATE OF ILLINOIS 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS 
 
 OFFICE OF HOUSING AND BUILDINGS 
 
i 
 

 1^ 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 1 Organization of the Report 
 
 3 Introduction 
 
 5 Recreation Characteristics and Needs 
 of Various Age Groups 
 
 11 Location of Play Areas 
 
 17 Play Equipment 
 
 30 Surfacing Materials for Play Areas 
 
 32 Landscaping Recreation Areas 
 
 39 Maintenance 
 
 41 Development of Recreation Areas 
 
 45 Recreation Programs 
 
 47 Checklist for Evaluating Existing 
 Recreation Resources 
 
 53 Bibliography 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2011 witii funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/playareasforlowiOOuniv 
 
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT 
 
 This publication concentrates on outdoor recreation 
 in a free-play or loosely supervised situation. 
 Organized group sports and facilities, structured 
 recreation programs , and indoor recreation facili- 
 ties and programs will not be dwelt upon in any 
 detail. However, the report does outline the 
 characteristics and recreational needs of the 
 various segments of the tenant population. This 
 has been done so that the planning staff has a 
 brief idea of the needs of these groups and can 
 plan for them accordingly. 
 
 Outdoor recreation components have been categorized 
 under Location of Play Areas, Types of Play Equip- 
 ment, Surfacing Materials, Landscaping Play Areas, 
 and Maintenance. Each of these components must be 
 considered and planned for in the implementation of 
 play facilities. 
 
 The section on Development of Play Areas lists pos- 
 sible sources for funds and manpower in addition to 
 discussing the need for an overall plan for recrea- 
 tional programs. A Checklist for Evaluating Exist- 
 ing Recreation Resources has been included in order 
 to help the housing authority determine the gaps in 
 present recreational programs and facilities. A 
 Bibliography at the end of the report cites mate- 
 rial for further information. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 Play and leisure time activities are essential ele- 
 ments of our daily lives. They help promote phys- 
 ical and mental development and provide a con- 
 trolled release of tensions and frustrations. 
 Studies have shown that children deprived of play 
 opportunities during their first four or five years 
 seldom obtain full mental development. Older chil- 
 dren have an incessant desire to "do," fantasize, 
 explore, and create. If safe, wholesome environ- 
 ments are not provided to cater to those desires, 
 the children will play anyway and anywhere — often 
 creating conflict with others and abusing the en- 
 vironment. Teenagers and adults deprived of safe 
 outlets for their tensions, anxieties, and frus- 
 trations often vent their emotions by violent ac- 
 tions against people or property--adding to many 
 social problems we have today. 
 
 Recreational activities are critical to the social 
 well-being of all people. Facilities for recrea- 
 tional activities become even more important when 
 low income families are concentrated in housing 
 developments. These families often do not have 
 the time, money, and transportation necessary to 
 participate in recreational endeavors outside the 
 neighborhood; therefore, if the facilities are not 
 nearby, the families will be deprived of them. 
 
 Unfortunately, provisions for recreation areas are 
 often ignored or relegated to minor importance 
 during the planning process in the development of 
 housing projects. Even when play areas are pro- 
 vided, they are usually sterile and dull. A prom- 
 inent landscape architect and playground designer, 
 M. Paul Friedberg, explains: 
 
 "... play facilities are uniformly dreary 
 because of a combination of factors — apathy, 
 misconception of children's needs, lack of 
 reasonable alternatives as models, and an ex- 
 aggerated emphasis on the management of facil- 
 ities. . . . Obviously, playgrounds are not 
 being designed for the child." (1970) 
 
 The goal of the Social Service Delivery System 
 Project is to suggest methods for providing social 
 services to tenants of low income housing projects. 
 The SSDS staff recognizes that meaningful recrea- 
 tion programs and facilities are essential com- 
 
ponents of an effective social service delivery 
 system. Although all social ills will not be 
 solved by a good recreation program, well planned 
 recreation programs and facilities can alleviate 
 many of the smaller problems which have the poten- 
 tial to develop into major crises. 
 
 The purpose of this publication is to provide 
 housing authority directors and their staffs with 
 guidelines which can be used as an aid in the 
 planning and utilization of space, funds, equip- 
 ment, and personnel to develop creative and mean- 
 ingful recreation facilities in project areas. It 
 must be emphasized that this report is not intended 
 to be used as a manual on how to build a recreation 
 area. Rather, it is hoped that insights into the 
 critical components of recreation areas can be ac- 
 quired which will in turn direct the planning and 
 stir the imagination of housing authority directors 
 and staffs. 
 
 The complexity of planning for play will be ex- 
 plored throughout the text. It is essential that 
 directors and persons in a position of responsibil- 
 ity for recreation areas and programs understand 
 that, in order to be effective, planning must be 
 comprehensive and must provide the proper facili- 
 ties for all users. This report explains which 
 facilities and programs are best suited for spe- 
 cific age groups, and it offers the opportunity for 
 a housing authority to evaluate its present facili- 
 ties. 
 
 Any gaps between the facilities which currently 
 exist and what should exist can best be filled by 
 coordinated planning with the housing authority 
 staff, tenants, and a professional recreation con- 
 sultant. All three groups are necessary to the 
 development of a master recreation plan which will 
 provide the greatest benefit to the most people, 
 within the range of the resources (money, manpower, 
 and space) of the housing authority. Hopefully 
 this publication will explain how and why this co- 
 ordination is necessary. 
 
RECREATION CHARACTERISTICS AND 
 NEEDS OF VARIOUS AGE GROUPS 
 
 Play and leisure activities satisfy an important 
 need in people's lives. But everyone does not en- 
 gage in the same activity. Before developing re- 
 creation programs for the tenants, one must realize 
 the various categories of leisure activity that 
 must be provided for. The simplest method of cate- 
 gorizing activity is by the ages of the partici- 
 pants. The tenant population can be divided into 
 four major age groups : 
 
 age groups ■ Children. For purposes of play and play re- 
 
 quirements, this group can be divided into pre- 
 schoolers (up to six years of age) and grade 
 schoolers (six to twelve years of age) . 
 
 Teenagers. This group consists of younger 
 adolescents (thirteen to fifteen years of age) 
 and older adolescents (sixteen to nineteen years 
 of age) . 
 
 Adults. This group includes young single 
 adults, younger married couples, and middle-aged 
 people in their forties and fifties. 
 
 Elderly. For recreation programs, these are 
 people in their sixties and older. 
 
 Of course, there could be a variation in these age 
 groups and their recreational needs, but for our 
 purposes we can assume that the individuals in 
 these age groups share common characteristics and 
 recreational needs. The following is an outline 
 of the needs of these four age groups. 
 
 CHILDREN 
 
 need for According to Ruth Strang, a distinguished authority 
 
 children's on child guidance, "The play life of a child is an 
 
 recreation index of his social maturity and reveals his per- 
 
 sonality more clearly than any other activity." 
 (1951) Similarly, the child psychologists Gesell 
 and Ilg say, "Deeply absorbing play seems to be 
 essential for full mental growth. Children who are 
 capable of such intense play are most likely to 
 give a good account of themselves when they grow 
 up." (1946) Therefore play provides an important 
 laboratory for growing up in the life of a child. 
 Through varied recreational experiences, youngsters 
 
gain physical growth and development, and are a'f- 
 forded the opportunity for emotional release, crea- ■ 
 tive expression, and socialization. Thus play fa- 
 cilities for this group have to be challenging in 
 addition to stimulating their curiosity and imagin- 
 ation. 
 
 preschoolers ' Preschoolers should be looked at separately from 
 
 reareation the rest of the children. At this age, children 
 
 oharaateristias have a very short attention span and have not de- 
 
 and faailities veloped their motor skills fully. A lot of their 
 
 play centers around fantasy and imagination; they 
 are not as active as grade schoolers. Also, pre- 
 school children are not socially oriented; they are 
 more interested in themselves and in exploring their 
 creative urges . 
 
 For these reasons, and for reasons of safety and 
 possible injury from the play activity of older 
 children, preschoolers need their own play areas. 
 These play areas should be located within view of 
 their homes so that the parents can keep an eye on 
 their children. The play areas do not have to be 
 large, but they should have equipment -that satisfies 
 the curiosity of this age group. A sand play area 
 is very effective in accommodating such interests. 
 A trickle of water also lets the children experience 
 different sensations — the water could lead into part 
 of the sand, providing building material. Pre- 
 schoolers also need equipment that forms dark cor- 
 ners and open spaces and lets them climb in, around, 
 under, and over — in short, equipment that develops 
 their motor and sensory skills. 
 
 It is important that these play areas are shaded and 
 provide shelter from the sun. A few benches or 
 other seating allow parents to sit and watch their 
 children and talk to other parents. The sidewalk 
 system around the project provides a good play sur- 
 face which can serve as a tricycle path that is in- 
 tegrated with the play area (see Figure 1) . 
 
 grade school Grade school children engage in more activity on 
 
 children' s site than any other age group. Being the most ac- 
 
 reareation tive group, they will spend much of their time in 
 
 characteristics play around the site. These children need a lot of 
 
 and facilities room for running around as well as ball fields, game 
 
 courts, and challenging play equipment. They should 
 also have the opportunity to participate in group 
 play in parks, play fields, swimming pools, and 
 similar facilities. 
 
 TEENAGERS 
 teenagers ' 
 
 recreation Although teenagers are the most difficult to plan 
 
 characteristics for in recreation — and are usually neglected in 
 
 and faailities recreation programs--they are the ones who know 
 
Figure 1. Sidewalks are popular play areas. 
 
 what they want. It can be much easier if they are 
 involved in planning their own programs and are 
 given a large measure of responsibility in running 
 these programs. Since the need for peer groups and 
 associations is strong at this age, the programs 
 must accommodate such activity and provide proper 
 collective direction. If this is not done, a mis- 
 directed group can become a "gang." 
 
 Younger teenagers want adventure and excitement in 
 addition to game courts and ball parks. However, 
 much of their activities are socially oriented, as 
 are those of older teens. The need to develop and 
 show off physical prowess must be satisfied. Group 
 activities such as social dancing, parties, and 
 similar co-recreational activities must also be ac- 
 commodated through various programs. 
 
 ADULTS 
 
 adults ' 
 recreation 
 aharaat eristics 
 and facilities 
 
 Although they retain an interest in sports and ac- 
 tivities from the latter part of their youth, 
 younger adults begin to develop an interest in 
 other social and more passive activities that could 
 involve the whole family. As they mature, they 
 spend their leisure time in less vigorous activi- 
 ties and tend to center around the affairs of the 
 family and social or civic groups. 
 
Since adults use their homes for relaxation more 
 than other leisure activities, the project should 
 provide space for relaxing. Each living unit 
 should have a private or at least semi-private area 
 for sitting, cooking, and eating outdoors. Benches 
 alongside play areas, if properly shaded, would 
 also encourage adults to help supervise play. If 
 there is no park within two blocks , the site should 
 have a shaded area for family recreation with 
 tables, benches, and outdoor grills. This is im- 
 portant because most low income families cannot get 
 away to other places for recreation. The housing 
 authority should also provide lawn and yard main- 
 tenance equipment on loan and allow tenants to de- 
 velop gardens if they wish. 
 
 Figure 2. These patios are too small and open. 
 
 f ISSII 
 
 STssT !■ 
 
 Figure 3. Fences or shrubs offer patio privacy. 
 
The car is an important part of adult lives. Each 
 project site should have a space where tenants can 
 do mechanical work with facilities (a faucet will 
 suffice) for washing and waxing their cars. 
 
 ELDERLY 
 
 recreation 
 char aot eristics 
 and facilities 
 for the elderly 
 
 The elderly tend to stay indoors, and they social- 
 ize to a lesser degree than other age groups. They 
 should be encouraged to get outdoors and walk 
 around; it is important to provide wide, level, 
 smooth walkways. Ramps are a better alternative 
 than steps. These walkways should be connected to 
 easily accessible shaded areas, with benches ar- 
 ranged for conversation. Flowering shrubs, selec- 
 ted to bloom at various times of the year, will en- 
 hance the visual impact of these areas. 
 
 Figure 4. The elderly need pleasant, shaded areas 
 that overlook other activities. 
 
 There should also be paths to play areas where the 
 elderly could sit and watch children. However, 
 these sitting areas should be separated from the 
 play areas so that the children do not disturb 
 them. Separation could be achieved visually by 
 using different materials, colors, or textures, 
 physically with a change in level or a row of 
 planting, or any combination of similar elements. 
 Above all, the facilities for the elderly must be 
 
safe and yet be connected to the other areas, 
 either visually or physically. 
 
 The staff should also organize various activities 
 for this age group such as social events within the 
 site and field trips for picnics, concerts, and 
 other cultural events. If some of the elderly show 
 an interest in flowers, they could be encouraged to 
 try a bit of gardening, thus providing them with 
 something to do. 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 It is evident that each age group must be viewed 
 as part of a comprehensive recreation program. One 
 cannot view the needs of one age group without con- 
 sidering the needs of other groups. If any age 
 group is neglected, the resulting apathy or resent- 
 ment could affect the programs for other age 
 groups. The staff should therefore be aware of 
 what is needed in the community. If the proper 
 social and recreation programs do not exist, the 
 staff should take the initiative to get something 
 going by finding out what the tenants need and 
 helping the tenants satisfy these needs. This 
 assistance includes the provision of: 
 
 recreation areas, building, and facilities, 
 and the necessary leadership and technical 
 skill to plan, organize, and maintain recrea- 
 tion programs . 
 
 10 
 
LOCATION OF PLAY AREAS 
 
 recreation as 
 social activity 
 
 Play is one of the primary means for a child to 
 satisfy his curiosity and creative urges; it also 
 forms an important part of his education. As such, 
 play areas provide more than a place for children's 
 play--they serve as centers for social interaction 
 among children. This point must be kept in mind 
 when locating play areas and choosing play equip- 
 ment. The opportunities provided must satisfy all 
 the needs of play activity. 
 
 varvations in 
 children ' s 
 recreation 
 
 Children's play and play requirements vary among 
 age groups. In addition, children from the same 
 age group can engage in different types of play. 
 Most play is sporadic and not concentrated over 
 time or towards a particular type of play equip- 
 ment. Play can be divided into two broad cate- 
 gories: active and inactive. The latter is as im- 
 portant and involves as much time as the former. 
 Observation of a play area will show that children 
 gather around play equipment to talk to their 
 friends or simply use it as a place to sit, thus 
 converting the area into a center for social group- 
 ing. One must also look at where children usually 
 play in order to understand play patterns. For 
 instance, bicycles and other wheeled vehicles are 
 used on paved areas all over the site; roads and 
 parking lots are the most popular since they con- 
 stitute the largest expanse of paved surface on any 
 site. 
 
 Figure 5. Play areas are centers for socializing. 
 
 11 
 
Figure 6. Children use parking lots for bicycling, 
 
 Figure 7. Location of play equipment on site, 
 
 12 
 
In addition to active and inactive, play can also 
 be labeled as incidental and organized — running and 
 jumping, for example, as opposed to a game of base- 
 ball. Children engage in incidental play much more 
 than organized play, and the former occurs all over 
 the site. The areas of concentration are those 
 that are most natural and accessible — on and along- 
 side footpaths, roads, parking courts, etc. Figure 
 7 shows where incidental play is likely to occur 
 in such a setting. 
 
 INCIDENTAL PLAY AND PLAY EQUIPMENT 
 
 plaaement of 
 recreation 
 faci lities 
 
 Incidental play includes the use of play equipment, 
 which means that such equipment should be easily 
 accessible. It can be located near circulation 
 paths or at circulation nodes. This accomplishes 
 two objectives: it makes the play area easily 
 accessible and provides casual supervision from 
 passersby as well as neighbors. If these play 
 areas are located away from supervision, they are 
 very likely to be misused. It is also important 
 to spread play areas throughout the site as much 
 as possible so that children can play close to 
 home if needs be and also to prevent a concentra- 
 tion of children — and noise, wear, and maintenance 
 problems — in one area. 
 
 Play areas also need shade from the sun, so trees 
 should be included in the design of these spaces. 
 Seating should be provided beneath the trees and 
 along footpaths since these areas also form foci 
 for social groups. 
 
 Figure 8. Play spaces should include shade and 
 sitting areas. 
 
 13 
 
Play areas can be formed by widening footpaths at 
 various points or where footpaths cross. Alter- 
 nately, roads could be blocked off to generate 
 play space. 
 
 Figure 9. Service road converted into play area. 
 
 ACTIVE PLAY 
 
 Another reason for wid 
 are used by bicyclists 
 date bicycling in the 
 roads will be used for 
 safer by reducing the 
 done either by making 
 ects or by introducing 
 existing road surfaces 
 facilitate cycling act 
 physically handicapped 
 
 ening footpaths is that they 
 
 The site should accommo- 
 circulation network. Since 
 
 cycling, they can be made 
 speed of cars. This can be 
 the roads curved on new proj- 
 
 bumps or washboarding on 
 Ramps at curbs not only 
 ivity but also help the 
 
 and the elderly. 
 
 TODDLERS ' PLAY 
 
 Preschool children tend to play adjacent to their 
 homes because their mothers find supervision 
 easier that way. Though they can play on either 
 side of a house, more play has been observed out- 
 side the kitchen door — probably because the mother 
 is in the kitchen more often than in the living 
 room. Thus tot-lots should be close to the house 
 so that the mother can work in the house and still 
 keep an eye on her children. Benches and trees 
 would draw the parents out to the play areas, pro- 
 viding supervision as well as an informal meeting 
 place. This supervision would also insure the 
 regular upkeep of the area. 
 
 14 
 
Figure 10, 
 parents . 
 
 Pleasant facilities for tots and 
 
 Toddlers should be provided with tricycle paths 
 that are placed away from roads. A circuitous 
 tricycle path integrated with the play area would 
 keep the children there and provide a measure of 
 safety to their play. 
 
 ORGANIZED PLAY 
 
 Organized play activities are usually located on 
 the periphery of a site rather than the center 
 because of space requirements. Smaller play lots 
 (such as practice courts for basketball) can be 
 formed by converting parking lots and other open 
 spaces where the neighbors are not disturbed. 
 Large play areas accommodate other activities as 
 well , and play equipment located at the edge of 
 the area diversifies the use of the field. If 
 there are any large playgrounds close to the site, 
 one can forego the provision of play fields on 
 site. The facilities, however, must be within two 
 or three blocks of the site and easily accessible 
 to the children; otherwise they will play in the 
 open spaces on site, disturbing the residents 
 nearby. 
 
 It must be remembered that the site should have 
 provisions for all types of play activity for 
 children of all age groups. These facilities 
 should be well sited; if they are not, the chil- 
 dren will play wherever they want to, compounding 
 the problems of noise, maintenance, and safety. 
 
 15 
 
play court 
 
 J 
 1 
 
 heavy concrete 
 blocks 
 
 'basketball 
 area 
 
 Figure 11. Parking lot converted to play area. 
 
 16 
 
PLAY EQUIPMENT 
 
 natural areas 
 
 vs . 
 conventional 
 playgrounds 
 
 Few things are more enjoyable or engrossing to 
 children than a vacant lot filled with "junk" or an 
 unmown field with trees, holes, bugs, and snakes. 
 Unfortunately most of our fields have been cleared, 
 built on, or paved over, and our vacant lots have 
 been cleared or placed off limits in the interest 
 of public health and safety. Sometimes playgrounds 
 have been built to substitute for the open fields 
 and vacant- lot play areas. However, while children 
 will often play for hours in fields and junkyards, 
 recent studies have shown that on the average, 
 children will play on conventional playgrounds no 
 longer than fifteen minutes at a time. 
 
 The reasons for this disparity in interest are 
 simple--but they must be understood before a suc- 
 cessful playground can be built. Traditional equip- 
 ment satisfies the need to exercise basic motor 
 skills such as climbing, sliding, and swinging; but 
 these skills are easily acquired and once acquired 
 the equipment has been mastered. The same motor 
 skills can be utilized in fields and vacant lots — 
 but those areas cannot be easily mastered because 
 they are too complex. They offer endless variety 
 and challenge. It would be difficult to do the 
 same thing twice. 
 
 Figure 12. 
 areas . 
 
 Nature provides some of the best play 
 
 17 
 
novelty 
 
 Novelty, complexity, and challenge are the things 
 that children thrive on and, therefore, are the 
 elements which should be replicated in our play 
 areas. But the true meaning and significance of 
 these words must be understood before being applied 
 to an analysis of equipment. 
 
 By definition, a novel piece of equipment is some- 
 thing new or unusual. Obviously then, any piece of 
 play apparatus would be novel if a group of chil- 
 dren has never played on it before; but it no longer 
 is new or unusual after their first exposure. Nov- 
 elties or gimmicks are excellent devices in remote 
 parks or special areas where visitors come once in 
 a while but not regularly. This surely is not the 
 case in housing projects where the same children 
 will be exposed to the same equipment every day. 
 Novelty alone then should not be a criteria for 
 choosing play equipment in housing projects. 
 
 aomp lexi ty 
 
 Complexity is created by providing a number of 
 elements in an apparatus each of which is different 
 enough so a child can't respond to the apparatus as 
 one simple object. For example, a traditional 
 slide can be classified as a "simple object" even 
 though a child must perform two separate motor 
 operations (i.e., climb up and slide down) in order 
 to complete a play sequence. It cannot be termed 
 
 Figure 13. 
 challenge. 
 
 Conventional slides offer little 
 
 complex because the equipment is designed so there 
 is no other alternative than to perform those two 
 operations. If, however, the apparatus has a 
 standard metal ladder and a rope ladder to get to 
 the top of the slide, a degree of complexity has 
 been added, since the child now has an option of 
 going upon the apparatus by the regular ladder or 
 
 18 
 
the rope ladder. The apparatus becomes even more 
 complex if the child has the option of doing some- 
 thing other than sliding down the slide once he 
 gets to the top. For example, he may be able to 
 walk across a beam to another piece of equipment, 
 or maybe he can slide down a pole. Complexity can 
 only be measured in terms of degree, but the highest 
 degree should be strived for. As the possibilities 
 for variation in play increase, there is a greater 
 opportunity for the children to become engrossed in 
 creative play for longer periods of time. 
 
 Figure 14. Slide as an integral part of a complex 
 play structure. 
 
 ahal lenge 
 
 Children seek challenge in everything they attempt. 
 Inherent in challenge is the danger and excitement 
 of attempting to do something they have never done 
 before. As they master any task, it no longer 
 represents a challenge and they discard that task 
 for something more challenging. The complexity of 
 equipment will determine to some extent the degree 
 of challenge offered but that is not the sole de- 
 terminant. Any piece of equipment should offer 
 degrees of challenge so that a child will be en- 
 couraged to play on a piece of equipment to the 
 extent of his abilities. As his abilities increase, 
 his use of the equipment should become more varied 
 and exciting. For example, the traditional metal 
 climbing structure (jungle gym) has metal rungs 
 evenly spaced throughout the entire structure. If 
 a small child cannot reach a higher rung with his 
 leg or pull himself up to a second rung, he cannot 
 use the equipment at all, and thus becomes frus- 
 trated. The older child meanwhile has no problem 
 reaching the second rung nor any other since they 
 are all the same distance apart. Therefore, once 
 
 19 
 
Figure 15. Traditional jungle gyms offer no 
 variation of challenge. 
 
 degrees of 
 ahal lenge 
 
 the first stage has been mastered, the entire 
 apparatus has been mastered. If, however, the 
 climbing structure had the lowest rungs relatively 
 close together and the higher rungs farther apart, 
 all children would be able to use the apparatus to 
 the extent of their abilities, with less frustra- 
 tion and more incentive to develop their ability 
 to master the entire device. 
 
 Another factor involved in degrees of challenge is 
 danger. Normally children realize their capabili- 
 ties and go to the brink with a sense of accomplish- 
 ment, but avoid the trauma of having to do some- 
 thing beyond them. If, for example, on a climbing 
 structure, the child goes as high as he can, then 
 he should have the choice of going across a balance 
 beam or down a slide. If the child does not have 
 the confidence to go across the beam, he will go 
 down the slide and have accomplished something. If 
 he had the sole alternative of going across the 
 beam, he might retreat down the climber in frus- 
 tration or attempt, fearfully, to cross the beam — 
 thus facing possible injury and failure. 
 
 Using the concepts of novelty, complexity, and 
 challenge as a basis , we will discuss various types 
 of traditional and innovative play equipment com- 
 monly available today. 
 
 SWINGS 
 
 disadvantages 
 
 Swings are the most common and popular pieces of 
 play equipment. It can be argued that they are 
 the most popular because they are the most preva- 
 lent, but few can deny the inherent thrill of 
 swinging high into the air. There are a number of 
 disadvantages to swings, however. They take up a 
 
 20 
 
lot of space yet serve few people. For example, a 
 set of six swings requires at least 720 square feet 
 of space. The act of swinging does little to 
 develop motor skills or physical condition, and it 
 encourages individual activity rather than group 
 play. This latter element becomes apparent when 
 all available swings are being used and other chil- 
 dren want to use them. Those waiting to use the 
 swings get impatient and harass those swinging by 
 grabbing onto the swings or the chains , often caus- 
 ing the swingers to fall off or crash into an adja- 
 cent swing. Also, unless swings are located far 
 apart from other apparatus or are separated by a 
 fence or hedge, passersby (particularly toddlers) 
 can unknowingly walk into the trajectory of a 
 swing and be injured. 
 
 alternatives 
 
 Despite these shortcomings, swings could neverthe- 
 less be made an integral part of a playground. 
 Several alternatives exist which can lessen their 
 hazards. Instead of the traditional equipment, 
 rope swings or tire swings can be utilized. These 
 can be easily and safely integrated into other play 
 structures and have the added advantage of encour- 
 aging group play. Merely having a lot of other 
 equipment nearby will encourage play on other 
 apparatus, thereby decreasing the demand for swings. 
 If swings are to be used, the seats should be rub- 
 ber straps and the superstructure should have no 
 center supports. 
 
 Figure 16. 
 play. 
 
 Tire swings encourage cooperative 
 
 21 
 
Figure 17. Pulley slides offer an exciting play 
 experience combining sliding and swinging. 
 
 MERRY-GO-ROUNDS 
 
 problems of 
 maintenance 
 and injury 
 
 These very popular and thrilling devices encourage 
 group activity, promote stamina, and challenge a 
 child's ability not to become physically ill. The 
 major disadvantage of this apparatus is the poten- 
 tial danger to smaller children who get on or near 
 the equipment when older children are using it. A 
 tumble from a fast moving merry-go-round can cause 
 serious injury. The ground around the apparatus 
 receives intensive abuse and soon becomes worn and 
 eroded. The area should be surfaced with an impact- 
 absorbing material, but no loose material will re- 
 main around the merry-go-round for any period of 
 time. If this type of equipment is installed, it 
 must be understood that the surface around it will 
 be raked and refilled with impact-absorbing materi- 
 als (such as pea gravel or bark mulch) quite reg- 
 ularly. 
 
 SLIDES 
 
 disadvantages 
 
 Slides provide the thrill of rapid movement and 
 some of the new devices introduce bumps and curves 
 which add to the excitement. But slides are stric- 
 tly simple objects and are easily mastered. Once 
 mastered they are ignored, used only in passing or 
 in ways for which they were not designed (such as 
 running up or sliding down backwards) . Attempts 
 to use slides in unorthodox ways have caused them 
 to be one of the largest causes of playground in- 
 juries. The flat metal surface of slides also 
 generates tremendous heat on sunny summer days, 
 therefore they must be carefully oriented to the 
 north or placed in shady locations. Fibreglass 
 slides are now available and are a good alternative. 
 
 22 
 
alternatives 
 
 Slides can be made a valuable part of playgrounds 
 if they are integrated into complex play structures 
 so they become an element of a play pattern, not a 
 separate activity in itself (see Figure 13) . 
 Slides also can be made wider so that more than one 
 child can use them at one time. This would permit 
 running up and sliding down a slide at the same 
 time without collisions — as so often occur on exis- 
 ting slides. Slides can be integrated into mounds 
 so toddlers can't fall over the sides. Also, the 
 slide should be a part of a complex structure so a 
 child would have the choice of going down the slide 
 or doing something else (see Figure 14) . This can 
 eliminate the trauma of the small child getting to 
 the top of the slide and being reluctant to go down. 
 On a standard slide, this would mean that the child 
 would have to make the perilous backward climb down 
 the ladder (often making other children get out of 
 the way) or he might be pushed or otherwise forced 
 down the slide against his will. 
 
 Figure 18. Complex wood climbing structure. 
 
 CLIMBING STRUCTURES 
 
 disadvantages 
 
 alternatives 
 
 Jungle gyms or climbers have already been used as 
 an example of how the design of a piece of appara- 
 tus can cause either frustration and boredom or 
 challenge and achievement (see Figure 14). Most 
 metal climbing structures are usually hot in the 
 summer and cold in the winter. Climbing structures 
 can be valuable components of a play area if they 
 offer various levels with climbing rungs spaced 
 close together at lower levels and farther apart at 
 higher levels. These structures should be inte- 
 grated with other apparatus to increase their com- 
 plexity. Further, construction of wood rather than 
 
 23 
 
metal makes them more comfortable throughout the 
 year. 
 
 Figure 19 , 
 structure. 
 
 Variety of experience in wood climbing 
 
 disadvantages 
 
 DONATED SURPLUS EQUIPMENT 
 
 Donated equipment such as old fire engines and 
 autos provides a novel experience but little else. 
 This type of equipment does provide the children 
 with an opportunity to emulate adults and it usu- 
 ally is made available at no cost. Under repeated 
 use, however, the novelty wears off, and after that 
 the real equipment actually inhibits creative and 
 imaginative play. It also requires continual 
 painting and maintenance. If these are not pro- 
 vided, the equipment rusts, deteriorates, and soon 
 becomes an eyesore. This type of equipment gener- 
 ally does not belong in project areas, but rather 
 in large public parks. 
 
 IMAGINATIVE APPARATUS 
 
 disadvantages 
 
 This type of apparatus usually is little more than 
 very expensive climbing structures. Space ships, 
 rockets, and trains, at best, are novelty items 
 which have more appeal to adults than to children. 
 This apparatus is really an insult to a child's 
 
 24 
 
imagination and can inhibit rather than encourage 
 creative play. To a child, a rocket ship is a 
 rocket ship, but a cardboard box can be a rocket 
 ship — as well as a train, a plane, and a stage- 
 coach. Children do not need gimmicks, they need 
 basic materials on which they can exercise their 
 imagination. 
 
 CONCRETE OR FIBREGLASS ANIMALS 
 
 Concrete or fibreglass animals are novel and small 
 children relate to them — but can and will they use 
 the equipment after the novelty wears off? These 
 pieces of equipment must be considered for their 
 play value, not for their appearance. 
 
 PLAY SCULPTURE 
 
 Sculptured play devices can be aesthetically pleas- 
 ing and, as such, enhance the visual appearance of 
 a project. They can offer a variety of play ex- 
 periences for smaller children and can be valuable, 
 effective additions to tot play areas. Again, the 
 most important criterion when considering play 
 sculpture is not the appearance, but the actual 
 opportunity for play it affords. 
 
 Figure 20. Play sculptures should offer many play 
 opportunities . 
 
 25 
 
Figure 21. Sewer pipes should be integrated into 
 other play structures. 
 
 Figure 22. Complex climbing structure constructed 
 primarily from recycled materials. 
 
 26 
 
CONCRETE SEWER PIPE 
 
 Concrete sewer pipes have been extensively used as 
 "creative" play equipment in recent years. They 
 have an obvious advantage in that they can usually 
 be obtained free of charge from local manufacturers. 
 By themselves they offer little opportunity for 
 play once the novelty wanes--they are quite un- 
 attractive (see Figure 15). They can, however, be 
 used to advantage as components of complex play 
 structures . 
 
 NATURAL MATERIALS 
 
 Dead trees and wood rounds made from tree stumps 
 are also materials which are easy to come by for 
 little or no cost. But they too provide limited 
 opportunities for creative play once their novelty 
 wears off. Their chief value is as a supplement 
 to other play equipment, to be used as components 
 of a complex structure, or as transitional play 
 pieces connecting other more complex pieces. 
 
 RECYCLABLE MATERIALS 
 
 Reusable materials such as telephone poles, wire 
 cable spools, railroad ties, and tires are often 
 available at little or no cost from local utility 
 companies, railroad yards, or city landfills. 
 With a little imagination, all of these materials 
 can be used to create exciting, low-cost play 
 structures . 
 
 SAND PLAY AREAS 
 
 Sand is capable of holding a small child's atten- 
 tion longer than any other play material or equip- 
 ment. The use of sand does have some inherent 
 disadvantages problems, however. One common complaint is that 
 
 sand is often used as a toilet facility by children 
 and animals, therefore it is unsanitary. Another 
 argument is that broken glass can easily be hidden 
 in sand and injure a small child. A third com- 
 plaint is that the children carry the sand with 
 them in their clothing and soon all the sand is 
 outside the sandbox. 
 
 All of these arguments against sand are justifi- 
 able; but if the potential problems are realized 
 
 overcoming and planned for, most of them can be overcome. 
 
 disadvantages First of all, tenants and staff must realize that 
 
 sand areas, as with all play equipment, need 
 periodic maintenance. Sand areas in particular 
 must be raked regularly (preferably each morning) 
 to remove foreign objects and to help aerate the 
 sand. If sand areas are incorporated into project 
 areas as recommended in this report, raking could 
 easily be done by parents on a rotational basis. 
 
 27 
 
Sand will inevitably be lost over a period of time 
 and should be replenished at least once each 
 summer . 
 
 Sand areas must be well defined and constructed so 
 they are at a different level than the surrounding 
 area. It should require a step up and a step down 
 before entering the sand pit itself (see Figure 10) > 
 These steps should be wide enough for children to 
 sit on and use as tables. This discourages ani- 
 mals from entering the sand area and also provides 
 a rough surface which will scrape some of the sand 
 off the children's shoes as they leave the sand 
 area. 
 
 The areas should be open and exposed to the morning 
 sun to permit the sand to dry out and sanitize it- 
 self. A sand area should never be covered with a 
 solid material since this shuts out any air or sun. 
 If it is absolutely necessary to cover a sand pit, 
 a wire-mesh screen should be used. 
 
 Sand areas must be constructed of sturdy materials, 
 such as railroad ties, and must provide wide flat 
 surfaces for the children to use as seats and 
 tables . 
 
 Figure 23. Sand areas should be sturdily built 
 and well defined. 
 
 WATER 
 
 alternatives 
 to swimming 
 pools 
 
 Water play is essential for children during the 
 hot summer months. There is no suitable substi- 
 tute for a swimming pool but if a pool is not 
 available, several alternatives are possible. 
 Spray devices are available which can be attached 
 to fire hydrants. The use of these devices re- 
 quires that a city employee be present to turn the 
 
 28 
 
water on and off. Spray basins or pools can be 
 constructed in project areas but these can be 
 costly. One of the most inexpensive alternatives — 
 and one which probably would be the most fun for 
 the children — would be to simply provide a hose 
 with a spray nozzle and let the children play with 
 that. Obviously, this would have to be in an area 
 where the water play activity would not be too dis- 
 ruptive to the adjacent areas. 
 
 For toddlers, a simple stream of water running from 
 a fountain or faucet along a concrete channel 
 through or next to a sand area is ideal (see Figure 
 10). This is a safe, inexpensive, and easy method 
 of providing an opportunity for them to play with 
 water. 
 
 Figure 24. Complex play equipment develops 
 physical dexterity and offers challenge and 
 excitement . 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 Many types of playground equipment are available 
 but none should be purchased or built until the 
 resources and needs of each project area are known, 
 A master development plan for recreation areas in 
 each project should be made and followed in order 
 to optimize the benefits to the tenants and mini- 
 mize the costs to the housing authority. These 
 benefits can be maximized by proper placement on 
 the site of equipment which offer development of 
 mental and physical dexterity, challenge, and vari- 
 ation in play opportunities and experience. 
 
 29 
 
SURFACING MATERIALS 
 FOR PLAY AREAS 
 
 It is obvious that types of grass or other plant 
 materials will not survive under intensive use. 
 grass Even the best maintained grounds can deteriorate 
 
 into dirt and mud. Dirt is a good impact-absorbing 
 surface and forms a quite suitable play surface, 
 but it is messy, especially after rain. 
 
 Often the first and final resort for an alternate 
 play surface is asphalt. Though asphalt is a good, 
 asphalt durable surface for game courts, it is totally in- 
 
 adequate in free play areas. It is hot in summer, 
 very hard and thus leads to bruised limbs and 
 broken bones, and ideal for breaking bottles. Un- 
 less asphalted areas are cleaned regularly, they 
 become very dangerous for play. 
 
 Unfortunately, very few alternative surfacing 
 materials are available at reasonable cost. Sand 
 sand is good for limited play and clearly defined play 
 
 areas. It should not be used in impact areas (such 
 as the bases of slides or next to swings) because 
 small children might play there and get injured by 
 the older children on swings and slides. Though 
 impact-absorbing synthetic materials are available, 
 they are too expensive and impractical for covering 
 large areas. 
 
 The best compromise surfacing material is pea gra- 
 -^ vel. It is inexpensive, impact-absorbing, stays 
 pea gravel in place quite well, helps slow the children down, 
 
 and needs little miantenance. Obviously children 
 can and will throw it on occasion, but that is a 
 minor problem. With proper supervision and main- 
 tenance, pea gravel can provide an effective sur- 
 facing material. 
 
 30 
 
Figure 25. Pea gravel is an inexpensive, easy- 
 to-maintain, impact-absorbing surfacing material 
 for play areas. 
 
 31 
 
LANDSCAPING RECREATION AREAS 
 
 It has already been suggested that materials such as 
 wood and fibreglass are not as affected by extreme 
 heat or cold as are metal, asphalt, and concrete; 
 therefore play equipment constructed of wood or 
 fibreglass can be used more comfortably all year 
 weather round. No one, however, will play very long on a 
 
 and wind hot, unshaded playground in the summer or stay out 
 
 problems for an extended period of time when wintry winds 
 
 blow across a play area. Proper landscaping can 
 temper the bitter winds and cool areas during the 
 summer months, thereby adding weeks and possibly 
 months to the usefulness of a play area. 
 
 Obviously mature trees are needed to provide shade. 
 landscaping Whenever possible, sites should be developed to re- 
 
 prior to tain all existing trees and to gain the maximum ben- 
 
 oaaupanay efit from them. Unfortunately, this is either not 
 
 done or many project sites have no trees to begin 
 with. If there are no trees on site, they should be 
 planted as soon as the site is developed and prior 
 to occupancy. This is critical not only because 
 this will permit the plant materials to become es- 
 tablished and grow right from the start but, perhaps 
 more importantly, trees and other plantings placed 
 on the site at its inception can either encourage 
 or inhibit certain activities. For example, if 
 an interior court area is provided but left entirely 
 open, it will encourage ball playing and other very 
 active usage which might not be desirable in such a 
 space. It is generally much more difficult to stop 
 an activity already in progress than to prevent it 
 from occurring in the first place through proper 
 planning. In this case, the court area should be 
 landscaped right from the start with trees , masses 
 of shrubs, and possibly earthmounds to discourage 
 ball playing (see Figure 26) . 
 
 wind Protection from wintry winds can be provided by fen- 
 
 protection ces, plantings massed as hedges or screens, or by 
 
 earthmounds. In order to be effective, a wind 
 screen must be dense enough to at least retard the 
 force of the wind, high enough to direct the wind 
 over the play area, and in the path of the pre- 
 vailing winds so as to be effective most of the 
 fences time. In order for fences to satisfy these re- 
 
 quirements, they must be massive. Such a fence 
 would become a dominant visual feature and would be 
 quite expensive. And fences, by their very pres- 
 
 32 
 
Figure 26. Undesirable play activities in open 
 court areas create problems of landscape main- 
 tenance. 
 
 ence invite climbing, battering, and other types of 
 abuse. Therefore, a fence must be built solidly 
 and maintained regularly. A fence in disrepair is 
 a real eyesore in a project. 
 
 direction of 
 prevailing wind 
 
 everg 
 deciduous plants 
 
 MM 
 
 earth mound 
 and/or planting 
 
 wood fence 
 
 and planting 
 
 Figure 27. Types of windbreaks. 
 
 plantings as 
 windbreaks 
 
 Shrubs and trees, on the other hand, can serve as 
 excellent windbreaks and can enhance the appearance 
 of the project site as well. Shrubs do have some 
 disadvantages, however. Unlike a fence which pro- 
 vides instant protection, it takes some time for 
 any plant material to mature and obtain its desired 
 fullness and height. Unfortunately, when windbreaks 
 are needed most (i.e., from late fall to early 
 spring) , many hedges have no leaves and therefore 
 are less effective. Evergreen plants provide a sol- 
 ution to this problem but they have one major draw- 
 back in that they are quite slow growing. Although 
 many deciduous shrubs such as tall hedge and privet 
 grow several feet per season, the common evergreen 
 shrxibs may only grow a few inches each year. One 
 way to provide a quickly established windbreak, as 
 well as an effective year-round screen, is to plant 
 a fast growing deciduous hedge with a low fence and 
 to back this up with an evergreen planting. The 
 
 33 
 
deciduous hedge can serve as a windbreak until the 
 evergreens have matured and are effective. 
 
 advantages 
 
 of earthmounds 
 
 EARTHMOUNDS 
 
 Earthmounds can be 
 breaks if properly 
 other benefits to 
 slide, and roll up 
 large or small. E 
 areas, they screen 
 mounds can enhance 
 adding changes in 
 visual impact of a 
 
 completely effective as wind- 
 placed. They also provide many 
 
 the site. Children love to climb, 
 and down hills no matter how 
 
 arthmounds not only shelter play 
 them from view. Therefore the 
 the attractiveness of a site by 
 
 elevation while minimizing the 
 play area. 
 
 Ideally mounds should be formed as the site is de- 
 veloped by using soil excavated from building foun- 
 dations. This obviously saves the cost of trans- 
 porting waste soil away from the site. On developed 
 sites, good clean fill would have to be brought in, 
 or open areas could be excavated and mounds formed 
 from the excavated soil. If this is done, careful 
 consideration would have to be given to potential 
 drainage problems; but the concept is quite feasible 
 and worthy of consideration if open areas exist on 
 the site. 
 
 making 
 
 earthmounds 
 
 effective 
 
 For mounds to be effective as windbreaks, they 
 should be at least as high as the people who will 
 be using the play area. If the mounds are to be 
 covered in turf, they should have no more than a 
 three-to-one slope. On steeper slopes, retaining 
 walls or terraces can be used to stabilize the soil. 
 Terraces can be effectively used to provide seating 
 areas on the sides of the mounds adjacent to the 
 play area. 
 
 Figure 28. Earthmounds can serve many functions, 
 
 PLANTING 
 
 Several important considerations must be made when 
 planting trees and shrubs in and around play areas. 
 No plant can be guaranteed to survive the onslaught 
 
 34 
 
aonoepts 
 for planting 
 
 of groups of children, but chances for survival may 
 be greater if the following concepts are followed: 
 
 Plant the most mature trees and shrubs your 
 budget will permit. Whips will seldom survive 
 abuse by children and will take far too long 
 to become effective. Most assuredly, young 
 plants cost less than larger ones, but it is 
 wiser to spend the available funds for fewer 
 plants which stand a good chance of surviving 
 than to waste money on a large number of plants 
 which have little chance of surviving and, even 
 if they do, will not be effective for a number 
 of years . 
 
 Plant trees and shrubs in masses rather than 
 scattered singly all over the site. This will 
 maximize their visual impact in the site and 
 lessen the chance of their being trampled or 
 abused . 
 
 Figure 29. Trees provide beauty and comfort to 
 play areas . 
 
 If plantings are to be placed across an obvious 
 circulation route, don't try to make a shrub 
 serve as a fence--it will certainly be tram- 
 pled. Instead, provide an opening in the 
 planting and lay a hard-surfaced pathway or 
 walk through the area. Proper design of the 
 planting scheme can accommodate circulation 
 patterns without sacrificing the functional or 
 aesthetic objectives of the planting. 
 
 The most important consideration is the use of 
 plant materials which are native to the area or 
 at least do best under the conditions to which 
 they will be subjected. Climatic conditions, 
 soil conditions, availability of water, amount 
 of sun and wind, and air quality all are criti- 
 cal factors when choosing plant materials. 
 
 35 
 
Many varieties of trees and shrubs which are 
 hardy as far north as Champaign, Illinois will 
 not survive the winters in the Chicago area 
 only 120 miles further north. Similarly, some 
 plants will thrive on the north side of a 
 building, but will winter-kill on the south 
 side. On page 37 is a list of trees and shrubs 
 which do well under various extreme growing 
 conditions. This list is not all-inclusive; 
 consult a reputable nurseryman or horticul- 
 turist in your area before making the final 
 selection of any nursery stock. 
 
 Trees and shrubs come in all sizes and shapes 
 and there is at least one variety to suit every 
 landscaping need. By choosing the plant mate- 
 rials which will mature to the desired height 
 and size and which will grow best under exis- 
 ting environmental conditions, a great deal of 
 pruning, thinning, clipping, fertilizing, and 
 spraying can be eliminated, thus saving con- 
 siderable time and money. 
 
 insuring The susceptibility of young plants to abuse can be 
 
 planting minimized by following these planting procedures: 
 
 success 
 
 Use the most mature and fullest plantings your 
 
 budget will permit. 
 
 Erect a simple but sturdy low (three to four 
 feet) wire fence along the line of the desired 
 windbreak. 
 
 Place the plant materials in staggered double 
 rows along both sides of the fence. 
 
 Plant only in early spring and late fall, when 
 the plants will have the best chance to take 
 root and begin new growth quickly. 
 
 Prepare plant pits and condition soil for use 
 in new planting in accordance with acceptable 
 horticultural procedures. 
 
 36 
 
TREES 
 
 index to numbers in last column 
 
 1 withstands city conditions (poor soil, insufficent water, air pollution) 
 
 2 good as windbreak or screen 
 
 3 disease free or resistant 
 
 4 hardy throughout Illinois 
 
 5 evergreen 
 
 6 fast growing 
 
 Botanical Name 
 
 Abies concolor 
 Acer campestre 
 A. negundo 
 A. platanoides 
 A. pseudoplatanus 
 Aesculus species 
 
 Catalpa species 
 Celtis occidentalis 
 Crataegus 
 
 phaenopyrum 
 C. oxyacantha 
 Elaeagnus angusti- 
 
 folia 
 Fraxinus 
 
 americana 
 F. pennsylvanica 
 
 lanceolata 
 Ginkgo biloba 
 Gleditsia tri- 
 
 acanthus 
 Koelreuteria 
 
 paniculata 
 Magnolia grandi- 
 
 f lora 
 M. soulangiana 
 M. stellata 
 Malus species 
 Morus alba 
 Phellodendron 
 
 amurense 
 Picea pungens 
 
 glauca 
 Platanus species 
 Populus alba 
 Quercus borealis 
 Robinia pseudo- 
 acacia 
 Rhamnus davurica 
 Sophora japonica 
 
 Taxus cuspidata 
 Tilia species 
 Tsuga caroliniana 
 Ulmus pumila 
 
 Common Name 
 
 Height 
 
 White fir 
 
 50 
 
 
 Hedge maple 
 
 30 
 
 
 Box elder 
 
 50 
 
 
 Norway maple 
 
 40- 
 
 ■50 
 
 Sycamore maple 
 
 70 
 
 
 Buckeye, 
 
 30- 
 
 ■50 
 
 horsechestnut 
 
 
 
 Catalpa 
 
 40- 
 
 ■50 
 
 Hackberry 
 
 60- 
 
 -70 
 
 Washington 
 
 20 
 
 
 hawthorn 
 
 
 
 English hawthorn 
 
 20 
 
 
 Russian olive 
 
 40 
 
 
 White ash 
 
 Green ash 
 
 Ginkgo 
 
 Thornless honey- 
 locust 
 Golden-rain tree 
 
 Southern magnolia 
 
 80 
 
 60 
 
 60 
 75 
 
 30 
 
 80 
 
 Colorado blue 
 spruce 
 
 40 
 
 Spread 
 
 20-30 
 
 20-25 
 
 40-50 
 
 75 
 
 60-80 
 
 30-40 
 
 25 
 
 50 
 15 
 
 12 
 30 
 
 50-60 
 
 40-50 
 
 40 
 40-50 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 Comments 
 
 20-25 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 14 6 
 1 4 
 12 4 
 
 1 4 
 
 12 3 4 6 
 
 12 4 
 
 12 4 6 
 
 13 4 
 
 14 6 
 
 1 3 
 1 5 
 
 Saucer magnolia 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 Star magnolia 
 
 8 
 
 10-15 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 Crabapple 
 
 10-20 
 
 10-20 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 White mulberry 
 
 30 
 
 25 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 Amur corktree 
 
 30-40 
 
 30 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 12 4 5 
 
 Sycamore 
 
 80-100 
 
 50 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 White poplar 
 
 75-100 
 
 50-60 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 Northern red oak 
 
 70-80 
 
 50-60 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 Black locust 
 
 30-40 
 
 20-30 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 Dahurian buckthorn 
 
 30 
 
 25 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 Japanese pagoda- 
 
 40-50 
 
 40-50 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 
 tree 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Japanese yew 
 
 15-20 
 
 6-8 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 
 Linden 
 
 75 
 
 50-60 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 
 Carolina hemlock 
 
 40-50 
 
 20-25 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 Siberian elm 
 
 65 
 
 40 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 
 37 
 
SHRUBS 
 
 index to numbers in last column 
 
 1 withstands city conditions 
 
 2 good as windbreak or screen 
 
 3 good as hedge 
 
 4 hardy throughout Illinois 
 
 5 evergreen 
 
 6 thorns or barbs 
 
 Botanical Name 
 
 Acanthopanax sie- 
 
 boldianus 
 Acer ginnala 
 Amelanchier laevis 
 
 Amorpha fruticosa 
 Aronia arbutifolia 
 Berberis species 
 Caragana arbor- 
 
 escens 
 Elaeagnus 
 
 umbellatus 
 Cornus alba 
 C. sericea 
 Euonymus alatus 
 Forsythia species 
 Hamamelis species 
 Hydrangea species 
 Juniperus chinensis 
 
 pf itzeriana 
 Kerria japonica 
 Ligustrum species 
 Lonicera species 
 Myrica pennsyl- 
 
 vanica 
 Philadelphus co- 
 
 ronarius 
 Physocarpus 
 
 opulif olius 
 Potentilla 
 
 fruticosa 
 Rhamnus frangula 
 
 columnaris 
 Rhodotypus scandens 
 Rhus species 
 Ribes alpinum 
 R. odoratum 
 Rosa multiflora 
 Spiraea species 
 Symphoricarpos 
 
 species 
 Syringa species 
 Taxus species 
 Viburnum species 
 
 Common Name 
 
 Height 
 
 Spread 
 
 Comments 
 
 Five-leaf aralia 
 
 5-10 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 Amur maple 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 Allegheny service- 
 
 25 
 
 12 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 berry 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Indigobush amorpha 
 
 8-10 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 Chokeberry 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 Barberry 
 
 4 
 
 2-3 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 6 
 
 Siberian peashrub 
 
 12-15 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 4 
 
 Autumn olive 
 
 Siberian dogwood 
 
 Redtwig dogwood 
 
 Winged euonymus 
 
 Forsythia 
 
 Witchhazel 
 
 Hydrangea 
 
 Pfitzer 
 
 Kerria 
 Privet 
 Honeysuckle 
 Bayberry 
 
 Mockorange 
 
 Common ninebark 
 
 Bush cinquefoil 
 
 Tallhedge buckthorn 
 
 Jetbead 
 
 Sumac 
 
 Alpine currant 
 
 Clove currant 
 
 Multiflora rose 
 
 Spirea 
 
 Coralberry 
 
 Lilac 
 
 Yew 
 
 Viburnum 
 
 12 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 8-10 
 4-10 
 3-4 
 
 3 
 6-12 
 4-12 
 5-10 
 
 10-12 
 
 8 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 6-10 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 3-4 
 8-10 
 3-4 
 
 8-12 
 6-10 
 10-15 
 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 8 
 4-8 
 5-6 
 
 3 
 6-8 
 4-8 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 8 
 3 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 4-8 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 10-15 
 
 7 
 
 4-10 
 8-10 
 
 12 3 4 6 
 
 1 4 
 
 12 3 4 
 
 12 3 4 
 1 4 
 
 12 3 4 
 
 12 3 4 
 
 12 3 4 
 
 1 4 
 1 4 
 13 4 
 1 4 
 
 13 4 6 
 13 4 
 1 4 
 
 12 3 4 
 
 13 4 5 
 12 3 4 
 
 38 
 
MAINTENANCE 
 
 PLAY AREAS 
 
 need for A common misconception is that playgrounds are 
 
 regular static — that one can install some play equipment 
 
 maintenance and forget about it. Nothing can be further from 
 
 the truth. Play areas, like any other piece of 
 equipment (a car, for example) , must be maintained 
 regularly if they are expected to satisfy the de- 
 mands made of them. In addition, these areas should 
 be observed continually to see if more equipment 
 should be added or if some should be changed. This 
 will be obvious by merely noting the areas of wear 
 as a result of play activities. 
 
 There are two major points that should be remem- 
 bered : 
 
 Be happy and quick to replace equipment that 
 is worn with use — and replace it with identi- 
 cal equipment. 
 
 Be quick to spot areas or equipment that are 
 being abused. Something is wrong. Either the 
 equipment is not satisfying the needs of the 
 intended users , or another user group has not 
 been provided with satisfactory play areas and 
 equipment. Abuse is generally a sign of frus- 
 tration. 
 
 A major advantage of the new types of play equip- 
 ment is that they can be added to or disassembled 
 and moved to another location. Regular evaluation 
 (see the checklist on page 47) and modification of 
 play areas present an excellent opportunity for 
 tenant tenant involvement in both the planning and con- 
 
 involvement struction phases. It has been shown that user in- 
 
 volvement in the design and construction of play 
 areas inevitably leads to increased use, pride, 
 and care of the facilities. The families in the 
 various "neighborhoods" on site could be organized 
 to give advice and assistance in the planning and 
 construction of these areas and help with the up- 
 keep of the equipment. 
 
 39 
 
GENERAL SITE MAINTENANCE 
 
 involving In order to encourage tenant involvement in site 
 
 tenants in maintenance, the housing authority should provide 
 
 maintenance lawn and garden equipment on loan to tenants who 
 
 want to look after their yards or do a bit of gar- 
 dening. In this way, residents could be encouraged 
 to develop a proprietal interest in the areas ad- 
 jacent to their units and look after them. The 
 housing authority will have to look after the pub- 
 lic space on site because tenants may not identify 
 with these spaces enough to look after them. Main- 
 tenance of these areas could be done by part-time 
 personnel hired from the teenage population in the 
 project. 
 
 It is essential that the housing authority arrange 
 regular maintenance and prompt repair of all areas 
 and equipment on site. The lack of regular mainte- 
 nance will inevitably lead to the deterioration of 
 areas and danger or frustration to those at play. 
 
 40 
 
DEVELOPMENT OF 
 RECREATION AREAS 
 
 FINANCE 
 
 It is fine to discuss grandiose schemes for deve- 
 loping recreation areas for all age groups in all 
 projects, but sooner or later the questions must be 
 asked, "How much is it going to cost?" and "Where 
 do I get the money to pay for it?" 
 
 Several small playgrounds have been built in recent 
 years by prominent landscape architects in New York 
 City at costs well in excess of half a million dol- 
 lars. Playgrounds containing a multitude of com- 
 plex, challenging play equipment have been built in 
 Champaign, Illinois by landscape architects for as 
 little as eighteen hundred dollars. The New York 
 City playgrounds were funded by charitable founda- 
 tions, while the Champaign play areas were built 
 largely with donated materials and labor. The ob- 
 vious implication in these examples is that play 
 areas can be very expensive or quite inexpensive, 
 depending on how much money and labor is available. 
 But the most important point is that good, meaning- 
 ful playgrounds can be acquired regardless of bud- 
 get — if the housing authority, staff, and tenants 
 are willing to put out the effort. 
 
 make a Housing authority administrators should first eval- 
 
 master plan uate their recreational facility needs by using the 
 
 checklist on page 47. They should then call in a 
 landscape architect or recreation resource planner 
 to work with the housing authority staff and ten- 
 ants to develop a master development plan. 
 
 sources of Currently, one of the best potential sources of 
 
 funding funding is through the HUD Modernization Program. 
 
 Phase II of that program authorizes expenditures 
 for redevelopment of recreation areas, community 
 space, and site improvement through landscaping. 
 Other potential sources for acquiring at least 
 matching funds for recreation development would be 
 through the Model Cities Program or the Open Space 
 Program.* These wou ld involve working with the 
 
 *For further information, contact: 
 
 HUD Area Office 
 17 Dearborn Street 
 Chicago, Illinois 60602 
 
 41 
 
local community or park districts but could provide 
 considerable benefits to both the project tenants 
 and the community residents. For example, under 
 the terms of the Open Space Program, a high prior- 
 ity is given to funding requests for acquisition of 
 land for parks adjacent to low income housing proj- 
 ects . 
 
 establishing If funding is obtainable or the budget is adequate, 
 
 priorities then the master plan should be implemented in its 
 
 entirety. However, if funds are limited or if the 
 development is to be implemented over a period of 
 time, then the play areas should be developed in 
 accordance with the degree of need as established 
 by the evaluation checklist. In other words, those 
 with the lowest ratings should be built first. 
 
 sources for Manufactured play apparatus is generally expensive 
 
 play material but it is convenient and easy to acquire and in- 
 
 stall. A few companies are offering innovative 
 equipment which provides more challenge than the 
 traditional equipment, but most complex play struc- 
 tures must be custom designed and constructed on 
 the site. Custom designed equipment can be very 
 costly if outside labor and elaborate materials are 
 used. It can be quite inexpensive, however, if 
 staff carpenters and tenants do much of the work. 
 Materials for creative playgrounds can often be ac- 
 quired for little or no cost. Railroad ties, tele- 
 phone cable spools , and telephone poles are used 
 extensively in creative playgrounds. These mate- 
 rials are usually readily available from the phone 
 company or a nearby railroad yard. Usually the 
 only expense involved is the time necessary to go 
 to the yards and pick up the materials. 
 
 obtaining --Perhaps the most important point to consider before 
 
 professional seeking funds or at least before spending funds on 
 
 help major development of recreation areas is to obtain 
 
 the services of a playground designer or architect. 
 This professional should be able to work with the 
 staff and the tenants to provide the most for the 
 tenants within the budget and resources available. 
 If a qualified playground designer or landscape 
 architect is not available locally, the following 
 sources can provide the names of landscape archi- 
 tects who have done work in this field: 
 
 Department of Landscape Architecture 
 University of Illinois 
 Urbana, Illinois 61801 
 
 William Nelson, Jr. 
 Extension Landscape Architect 
 Argiculture Extension Service 
 200 Floriculture Building 
 University of Illinois 
 Urbana, Illinois 61801 
 
 42 
 
Joseph Bannon 
 
 Department of Recreation and Park 
 
 Administration 
 
 312 Armory Building 
 
 University of Illinois 
 
 Champaign, Illinois 61820 
 
 MANPOWER 
 
 The best source for manpower to carry out any pro- 
 gram is the housing project itself. Tenant involve- 
 user involvement ment in the construction and maintenance of play 
 
 facilities accomplishes more than employing local 
 people; it creates a sense of achievement among the 
 people and develops a proprietal interest toward the 
 equipment. The tenants feel that the play areas are 
 theirs because they helped build them. This atti- 
 tude will also encourage them to provide casual 
 supervision of these areas, decreasing the need for 
 hired supervisors and maintenance men. If chil- 
 dren--the immediate users--are also involved in 
 building the play areas, they will develop a sense 
 of responsibility toward the equipment and help in 
 the upkeep of the areas. 
 
 Obviously, there is a limit as to what tenant labor 
 can do. They should not (and probably could not, 
 because of local unions) be involved in jobs calling 
 limits and for special expertise such as laying out concrete 
 
 capabilities or asphalt, building construction, or planting 
 
 of user large trees. But they can, under the supervision 
 
 involvement of staff maintenance and technical employees, help 
 
 clean up areas to be developed, help assemble or 
 build play equipment, and plant small trees and 
 shrubs. The tenants should also, under the super- 
 vision of staff painters, be permitted to paint and 
 decorate their community space as they see fit. 
 This is very critical in order for them to feel 
 that this space is truly theirs. Such an attitude 
 would be difficult to achieve if the housing author- 
 ity does all the planning and equipping before turn- 
 ing it over to the tenants. Basically, this is the 
 prime concept behind the HUD Modernization Program. 
 In each project, the most important improvements 
 should be those which the tenants request and in 
 which they have a part in planning and implementing. 
 
 The tenant population is also a good source for 
 leaders of recreation programs. This could be 
 sources for leadership of a casual type, such as helping to 
 
 skilled help organize or supervise certain types of activity. 
 
 It is not necessary for all the leaders to be well 
 trained in recreation; the key staff people can 
 handle that aspect of recreation. Tenant involve- 
 ment in leadership, apart from creating a sense of 
 responsibility, also helps in increasing the amount 
 of contact and cooperation between the staff and 
 the tenants. This can be very helpful in the case 
 of teenagers; if they are given such responsibility 
 they could become a very constructive force in the 
 
 43 
 
recreation program since they have the time, abil- 
 ity, and energy. Of course, the key staff person 
 should be well trained in his profession and be able 
 to supervise all these factors of planning and 
 implementing programs. If a specific skill is need- 
 ed and cannot be provided by any of the tenants , a 
 specialist could be hired on a part-time basis. 
 
 The following people are sources of technical assis- 
 tance : 
 technical 
 
 assistance Dr. William G. Riordan 
 
 Room 144 Lantz 
 
 Physical Education and Recreation Building 
 Eastern Illinois University 
 Charleston, Illinois 61920 
 Phone: 217 - 581-2021 
 
 Dr. Robert Kahler 
 
 Men's Physical Education Department 
 
 Northern Illinois University 
 
 De Kalb, Illinois 60115 
 
 Phone: 815 - 753-1924 
 
 Dr. William O'Brien, Chairman 
 Recreation Department 
 Southern Illinois University 
 Carbondale, Illinois 62901 
 Phone: 618 - 453-4331 
 
 Dr. Allen V. Sapora 
 
 Department of Recreation and Park 
 
 Administration 
 
 Room 104 Huff Gymnasium 
 
 University of Illinois 
 
 Champaign, Illinois 61820 
 
 Phone: 217 - 333-0105 
 
 Dr. Tony Mobley 
 Room 103 Western Hall 
 -^^ Western Illinois University 
 
 Macomb, Illinois 61455 
 Phone: 309 - 899-2453 
 
 Colleges with programs in recreation are also po- 
 tential sources of assistance. In fact, these 
 institutions could be persuaded to offer this 
 assistance through a class project or through their 
 fieldwork program. Students from these institutions 
 could also be employed as part-time or summer help. 
 
 44 
 
RECREATION PROGRAMS 
 
 Any recreation program, in order to be successful, 
 must gear its activities to the users. This can be 
 need for achieved only if the planner incorporates tenant 
 
 tenant participation into the planning process. Residents 
 
 involvement should be made part of all phases of recreation 
 
 planning, either as advisors or preferably as full 
 participants. The planner must use his professional 
 skills and leadership abilities to satisfy the needs 
 of both the tenants and the housing authority. 
 
 It is important that the program be varied enough 
 to attract people of all ages. No age group should 
 be overlooked in setting up recreation programs, as 
 this could create apathy and even resentment towards 
 other programs. This tenant participation should 
 not be limited to adults only; children should be 
 asked about the types of programs they would like. 
 Another aspect of tenant participation which should 
 be kept in mind is that tenants--both adults and 
 children--should be involved not only in the plan- 
 ning, but also in the implementation of the programs 
 and construction of facilities. This involvement 
 helps the users to identify with the programs and 
 feel that they have an investment in the facilities, 
 thus providing them with more incentive to use and 
 take care of the equipment. 
 
 ELEMENTS OF GOOD RECREATION PROGRAMMING 
 
 Find out what each group is doing 
 for recreation now. 
 
 Find out what they would like to 
 be doing. 
 
 Plan with each group how to implement 
 these programs. 
 
 Be careful not to plan only active or 
 highly organized activities such 
 as sports and games. 
 
 It is obvious that tenant participation in all 
 stages of the recreation program would require 
 qualifications skillful leadership not only for generating and sus- 
 
 of staff taining the interest of the users, but also as a 
 
 personnel measure of control. The various requirements make 
 
 it necessary to consider a potential leader on more 
 than his professional abilities. He must have 
 skills in program planning and the ability to get 
 
 45 
 
\ 
 
 people involved, as well as possessing a personality 
 that is attractive to all age groups. 
 
 46 
 
CHECKLIST FOR EVALUATING 
 EXISTING RECREATION RESOURCES 
 
 The following checklist has been devised to help 
 evaluate the quality and adequacy of existing rec- 
 how to use reation facilities and programs for housing author- 
 
 the aheoktist ity residents. This method assigns values to each 
 
 of the criteria necessary for satisfaction of the 
 recreational needs of the major age groups. To 
 assess the recreational resources in a project area, 
 simply follow the checklist and score each item 
 according to the guidelines. When all the items on 
 the checklist have been scored, add them up and com- 
 pare the total score with the maximum score for each 
 age group. An area that scores at least two-thirds 
 of the total possible points for any group would 
 receive a high rating. This indicates that the 
 basic recreational needs of that age group are 
 being satisfied. A moderate rating (between one- 
 third and two-thirds of the total possible points) 
 indicates that while some facilities are available 
 in the area, there is considerable need for improve- 
 ment. A low rating (less than one-third of the 
 possible points) indicates that immediate action 
 should be taken to upgrade the programs and facili- 
 ties in that area. 
 
 This system will enable the housing authority staff 
 to examine objectively existing recreational facili- 
 ties and ascertain which needs are being met and 
 which are not. This can assist the housing author- 
 ities in spending their time, money, and effort 
 where they are most needed. 
 
 PRESCHOOLERS 
 
 Maximum Actual 
 Requirements Score Score 
 
 1. Play area free from vehicular 3 
 traffic and accessible with- 
 out having to cross streets. 
 
 (Score 3 if both conditions 
 are met, 1 if either, if 
 none are met. ) 
 
 2. Play area separate from play 3 
 area for older children or 
 
 from other areas which might 
 be hazardous to small chil- 
 dren. (Score 3 if both con- 
 ditions are met, 2 if play 
 areas are together but 
 
 47 
 
Maximum Actual 
 Requirements Score Score 
 
 physically separated by 
 fences or hedges, 1 if tot 
 play area is located at one 
 end of total play area, 
 if no special provisions 
 have been made for tot play.) 
 
 3. Play area sheltered and 3 
 shaded. (Score 3 if both 
 conditions are met, 1 if 
 
 either, if area is in the 
 open. ) 
 
 4. Creative play equipment. (Score 3 
 3 if play equipment develops 
 motor skills and stimulates the 
 imagination, 2 if there is a 
 variety of play equipment, 1 
 
 if there is any play apparatus, 
 if no apparatus is provided 
 solely for preschoolers . ) 
 
 5. Sand and water play. (Score 3 
 3 if both are present, 1 if 
 either exists.) 
 
 6. Play areas centrally located 3 
 within view of all units . 
 
 (Score 3 if condition is met 
 fully, 2 if more than 50% of 
 units are within view of tot 
 play area, 1 if less than 50%, 
 if tot play area does not 
 exist. ) 
 
 7. Place near play area for parents 3 
 to sit and supervise. 
 
 8. Sidewalk system leading from 3 
 dwelling units to play areas. 
 
 Maximum Score 2 4 
 
 Rating : 16 points or more High 
 
 8 to 15 points Moderate 
 
 7 points or less Low 
 
 48 
 
GRADE SCHOOL CHILDREN 
 Requirements 
 
 1. Play area separate from 
 dwelling units and 
 hazardous areas. 
 
 2. Play equipment. (Score 3 
 if equipment is multi- 
 dimensional, complex, and 
 challenging, 2 if variety 
 of creative and standard 
 apparatus is available, 
 
 1 if equipment consists of 
 standard swing set, slide, 
 and one other piece of equip- 
 ment, if no equipment is 
 available or equipment is not 
 maintained in operable con- 
 dition. ) 
 
 Maximum 
 Score 
 
 Actual 
 Score 
 
 Play area sheltered and shaded, 
 (Score 3 if both conditions are 
 met, 1 if either, if area is 
 in the open or if no area exists, 
 
 Playground on site or park 
 within two blocks with: 
 
 ball field 
 
 game courts 
 
 no major streets or 
 barriers 
 
 water fountain 
 
 toilets 
 
 supervision 
 
 Swimming pool available and 
 accessible. (Score 3 if pool 
 within walking distance and 
 season passes are available at 
 reasonable rates , 2 if trans- 
 portation is available for 
 project children, 1 if public 
 pool is in area but children 
 have to find means to get 
 there, if no pool is avail- 
 able.) 
 
 Open space in or around site 
 for free play. (Score 3 if 
 area is in natural state with 
 trees and unmown grass, 1 if 
 area is mown field, if no 
 open space is accessible.) 
 
 Indoor play area or game room. 
 (Score 3 if fully equipped and 
 supervised play facility is 
 provided in project area, 2 if 
 a facility is available in the 
 neighborhood, 1 if undeveloped 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 49 
 
Requirements 
 
 space is available, if no 
 space or facilities are 
 provided . ) 
 
 8. Recreation program. (Score 
 3 if year-round program is 
 provided or is readily avail- 
 able to project residents, 1 
 if summer recreation program 
 is provided, if no recreation 
 programs are offered.) 
 
 Maximum 
 Score 
 
 Actual 
 Score 
 
 Maximum Score 
 
 Rating: 18 points or more 
 9 to 17 points 
 8 points or less 
 
 27 
 
 High 
 
 Moderate 
 
 Low 
 
 TEENAGERS 
 Requirements 
 
 Maximum 
 Score 
 
 Actual 
 Score 
 
 1. Outdoor recreation space 
 within two blocks. (Score 
 3 if ball field and game 
 courts, 1 if either.) 
 
 2. Swimming pool available. 
 (Score same as for grade 
 school children.) 
 
 3. Teen center (can be part 
 of other facilities) . 
 (Score 3 if organized and 
 supervised center is operated 
 in neighborhood, 2 if game 
 room is available to teens in 
 project area, 1 if undeveloped 
 space would be available, if 
 no facilities or program exist.) 
 
 4. Recreation-social program. 
 (Score 3 if year-round program 
 is provided or is readily 
 available to project residents, 
 1 if programs are available 
 only during school year, if 
 none are available.) 
 
 Maximum Score 
 
 Rating : 8 points or more 
 4 to 7 points 
 3 points or less 
 
 12 
 
 High 
 
 Moderate 
 
 Low 
 
 50 
 
ADULTS 
 
 Requirements 
 
 Maximum 
 Score 
 
 1. Indoor space for meetings, 3 
 social affairs. (Score 3 
 
 if space is available on site, 
 1 if space is available near 
 project area.) 
 
 2. Outdoor family space for 3 
 each dwelling unit. (Score 
 
 3 if family can sit outside 
 in privacy, 1 if level paved 
 patio or terrace is available 
 but without privacy.) 
 
 3. Outdoor space for active re- 3 
 creation with two blocks. 
 
 (Score same as for teenagers.) 
 
 4. Outdoor space for passive re- 
 creation within two blocks with: 
 
 shade and shelter 1 
 
 tables and benches 1 
 
 fireplace or grill 1 
 
 5. Facilities to work on/wash 3 
 cars. (Score 3 if space is 
 shaded or covered and water 
 
 is provided, 1 if either con- 
 dition exists, if no space 
 is provided.) 
 
 6. Organized social-recreation 3 
 programs . 
 
 Maximum Score 
 
 Rating: 12 points or more 
 6 to 11 points 
 5 points or less 
 
 18 
 
 High 
 
 Moderate 
 
 Low 
 
 Actual 
 Score 
 
 ELDERLY 
 
 Requirements 
 
 1. Indoor facility for games, 
 social events with: 
 lounge 
 game tables 
 meeting room 
 piano and other 
 
 instruments 
 community cooking 
 
 facilities 
 craft and hobby shop 
 
 Maximum Actual 
 Score Score 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 51 
 
Maximum Actual 
 
 Requirements Score Score 
 
 2. Outdoor facility with: 
 
 shade and shelter 1 
 
 level paved surface 1 
 
 benches and porch swings 2 
 
 3. Circuitous sidewalk system 3 
 leading to building entrances 
 
 and outdoor use areas . 
 
 4. Area for lawn games. 2 
 
 5. On-going social and recreation 3 
 program. 
 
 6. Professional social director. 3 
 
 Maximum Score 21 
 
 Rating: 14 points or more High 
 
 7 to 13 points Moderate 
 
 6 points or less Low 
 
 52 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 Aaron, David. Child's Play . New York: Harper & 
 Row, 1965. 
 
 Lady Allen of Hurtwood . Planning for Play . London: 
 Thames and Hudson, 1968. 
 
 American Society of Planning Officials. Standards 
 for Outdoor Recreation Areas . Report 194, 
 January, 19 65. 
 
 Bengtsson, Arvid. Environmental Planning for 
 Children's Play . New York : Praeger Pub- 
 lishers , 1970. 
 
 Butler, George D. Playgrounds: Their Administration 
 and Operation . New York: Ronald Press Co., 
 1960. 
 
 Cooper, Clare. "The Adventure Playground: Creative 
 Play in an Urban Setting and a Potential Focus 
 for Community Involvement." Institute of 
 Urban and Regional Development Working Paper 
 118. Berkeley: University of California, 1970. 
 
 Dattner , Richard. Design for Play . New York: Van 
 Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1961. 
 
 Educational Product Report , Vol. 3, Nos . 8 and 9, 
 May-June, 1970. 
 
 Ellis, Michael J. "Rational Design of Playgrounds." 
 Educational Products Information Exchange In - 
 stitute Product Report , Vol. 3, No. 8, May, 
 1970, pp. 3-8. 
 
 Friedberg, M. Paul. Play and Interplay . New York: 
 Macmillan, 1970. 
 
 Gesell, Arnold and Frances Ilg. The Child from 
 Five to Ten . New York: Harper & Row, 1946. 
 
 Grey, Alexander. "Creative Learning in Children's 
 Playgrounds." Childhood Education , Vol. 45, 
 No. 9, May, 1969, p. 491. 
 
 Herron, R. E. and Brian Sutton-Smith. Child's 
 Play . New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 
 1971. 
 
 53 
 
Hole, Vere. "Children's Play on Housing Estates." 
 National Building Studies Research Paper 39 . 
 London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1966. 
 
 Holme, Anthea and Peter Massie. Children's Play: 
 A Study of Needs and Opportunities . London: 
 Michael Joseph, 1970. 
 
 Ledermann, Alfred and Alfred Trachsel. Creative 
 
 Playgrounds and Recreation Centers . New York: 
 Praeger Publishers, 1959. 
 
 Nelson, W. R. , Jr. and J. A. Porter. "Planning a 
 
 Better Park Landscape." University of Illinois 
 Cooperative Extension Service Circular 947, 
 1966. 
 
 Strang, Ruth. An Introduction to Child Study . New 
 York: Macmillan, 19 51. 
 
 Town and Country Planning , October-November, 1968. 
 
 54 
 
The following publications are also available from 
 
 Housing Research and Development 
 University of Illinois 
 1204 West Nevada 
 Urbana, Illinois 61801 
 
 Families in Puhlio Housing : An Evaluation of Three Residential 
 Environments in Roakford, Illinois . Price: $5.00 per single 
 copy. 
 
 Activities and Attitudes of Puhlio Housing Residents : Roakford, 
 Illinois . Price: $4.00 per single copy. 
 
 A Response to Need: Designs for Family Housing . Price: $1.00 
 per single copy. 
 
 Can the 1968-78 National Housing Goals Be Achieved? Price: 
 $3.00 per single copy. 
 
 Evaluating Housing for Families of Low and Moderate Income: 
 A Bibliography . Price: $2.00 per single copy. 
 
UNivEBsrry of illinois-uhban* 
 
 3 0112 103616188