Pacific West Builders

Scope Of Work

Pacific West Builders designed and built a Child Development Center playground for an existing CDC at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada. The playground was required to provide various elements that provided not just a playground for the children, but also an educational experience for them. The various elements of the playground, that were separated by planting, bridges, decks and other barriers to create an intimate setting for each of the various elements, included a gathering area for conversations and book reading, an open play area for physical activities, music play area with various instruments, garden area for the planting of a variety of different plant species, a messy play area where children can dig and play with various nature products such as logs, tree stumps, soil and other items, a building area, an art area, climbing area, cycle track, sand and water play area, solar area, all connected by a system of pathways with benches interconnecting all of the various elements.

Surfaces included impact attenuating surfaces, turf, wood and concrete decks, decomposed granite, sand and flag stone, each of which had to comply with ADA requirements. Various elements were sheltered by fabric canopies and storage sheds provided for the various toys, cycles and other loose play items.

One challenge that Pacific West Builders overcame was the weather. The Government delayed the award of the project so that the installation of the components occurred in November and December, which in the high desert of Nevada has temperatures around or below freezing. These temperatures caused concerns for the installation of the impact attenuating surface and turf, and made excavation difficult, so various areas of the playground had to be tented and heated to permit the work to proceed.