Hi ClickforHPers,

Anyone interested in play and playgrounds for children will find Harry
Pasternak's information contained on his web site thought provoking to
say the least. Harry makes excellent points. Mainly, that contemporary
playgrounds are pretty well useless! Developers, into maximizing profits
and giving home buyers postage stamp lots, try to look caring by
building a "so-called" playground. Harry's research demonstrates that
they simply do not work. Harry also claims that municipalities banning
street hockey for example is a perfect example of not understanding how
kids play. Where have the days gone where kids have green spaces, large
yards, wrap around porches to play? More than being out of touch with
urban landscapes or being nostalgic for the good old days, Harry makes
strong arguments against playgrounds that simply do not meet intended
outcomes (if any). In these days of evidence-based decision making and
defining healthy communities in a broad way, his points are worth
considering.

Harry's points are blunt, but thought through. Some call these people
trouble makers, others call them visionaries well ahead of their time
and always challenging us to think different and ask the hard questions.

On developing creativity:
How creative can anyone be with fixed, immovable steel, plastics, and
wood objects and dry as-a-bone sand? Zero. Apparently, no one thinks
that you need water to build sand castles.

On developing different muscular systems for kids of different ages:
For that to happen - there has to be different levels of difficulty for
kids of different heights, different strengths, and different levels of
self-esteem. That means - 12 sets of monkey bars set at 12 different
heights off the ground - is there resilient foam underneath to break a
kid's fall (do you love or hate children)?

On a safe place to be - away from car traffic:
500,000 children injured on playgrounds ever year in North America - 3/4
in falls off equipment. There are supposed to be even more than 500,000
injured in car traffic going to and from 'playgrounds'. And then there
is the toxic long term impact from carcinogenic and mutagenic wood
preservatives used on wood components. And the 160 degree temperature of
equipment. And lack of shade over equipment. And .....

Harry also suggests a reading list on things like creating public art,
democratic architecture and collaborative communities. His site can be
found at http://www.homebuildingschool.com/play.html