General Recreation in Newtown Square often has client projects that are years in the making but sometimes the creation of a great playground, like one at Oak Knoll School, is very swift.

General Recreation’s Joe Del Vecchio worked closely with Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child in Summit, New Jersey to remove an older playground and debut a new one by the start of the school year.

Having a playground is an important component of the school’s educational program, providing students a time to relax, have fun and socialize together, said Oak Knoll Lower School Division Head Christine Spies.

“We purposely designed a playground with elements that would appeal to all students in our K-6 community,” she said.

 The playground helps the students develop important gross motor skills and work collaboratively.

Oak Knoll School was founded in 1924 with a mission to cultivate the whole child – academically, socially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

The playground was chosen with the school’s mission in mind, providing a range of options for play to everyone, from slides and ladders to musical instruments.

To find someone to help with the playground, school officials decided General Recreation offered the best value for what the school wanted.

“From the first meeting with Joe, and in conversations throughout the project, he listened to our needs, gave insightful suggestions, and made adjustments to the design when we asked to view different layouts and options,” Spies said.

For the design of the playground, they looked at the ages of their students, the variety of play elements to include, and the size and color scheme.

“We specifically wanted our students to enjoy three different types of slides, a climbing wall and other climbing components, a balance component, a music component, and a tower with a roof. We were able to achieve all of these elements in Gen Rec’s design,” she said.

About General Recreation

General Recreation Inc. serves Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and has helped hundreds of community leaders and organizations build playgrounds that are safe, aesthetically pleasing, and made to last.

General Recreation projects are supported by expert and trusted services, including site evaluation, playground design, installation, and community build services.