Waitaki Valley Preschool
Waitaki Valley Preschool is a small centre located in the rural community of Kurow. It is licensed for 40 children up to the age of 6 with renovated facilities and an open outdoor play space.
After renovating their indoor learning spaces, the preschool decided to divide the centre into two areas, one for their under 3s group, and another for their 3-6 aged children so they could better cater to the different age groups. Centre manager, Jordan Walker, explained that when they did that, they also divided the playground outside, creating designated play spaces for both groups. When planning the outdoor playground separation, they came across a few hurdles.
Products used:
PermaPlay
Pour'n'Play
Being in a rural location, limited the centre’s options of surfacing companies they could work with as many didn’t service rural areas. The NumatREC install team was able to go out to Kurow and meet with the centre to discuss their site and vision for the space.
The re-surfacing project at the centre came in 3 stages. First, some safety surfacing was installed throughout both spaces made up of a cushioning layer covered in artificial turf. The second project was a brand-new sandpit for the older children, and the third was a new swing and rubber surface area for the under 3s.
Choosing a surface option that could provide kids with the safety and comfort they needed was crucial. But the materials used also had to be resistant to the extreme weather conditions experienced in the Waitaki Valley. NumatREC was able to help the centre choose the most appropriate surfacing to make sure their playground was accessible and usable all year round.
