{"id":32872,"date":"2018-12-17T10:00:58","date_gmt":"2018-12-17T18:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacing.ca\/vancouver\/?p=32872"},"modified":"2019-03-23T13:04:23","modified_gmt":"2019-03-23T20:04:23","slug":"vancouverspeculations-covered-playgrounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/vancouver\/2018\/12\/17\/vancouverspeculations-covered-playgrounds\/","title":{"rendered":"VancouverSpeculations: Covered Playgrounds"},"content":{"rendered":"
http:\/\/spacing.ca\/vancouver\/2018\/12\/17\/vancouverspeculations-covered-playgrounds\/Covered playground concept. To enlarge the image, click here<\/a>. <\/h6>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For many Metro Vancouverites, the advent of the rain triggers the annual winter hibernation season. Seemingly overnight, time spent enjoying the beautiful large outdoor planters<\/a> transforms to speeding\u2014head under hood or umbrella\u2014building interiors. This is particularly challenging for parents of young children, who\u2014in the absence of useable playgrounds\u2014often struggle to find ways of letting their Little Ones spend their pent up energy.<\/p>\n

Why not make playground useable all year round!?!<\/p>\n

In a place that constantly touts its mild winters while other parts of the country are buried in snow and incredibly cold temperatures, it\u2019s mind-boggling how little we do to take advantage of our situation. With a little bit of thought and careful consideration, our public spaces can be well-used year-round.<\/p>\n

This Speculation<\/i><\/a> depicts the possibility of covered public playgrounds: something that would surely ease the cabin fever of new parents, as well as their pocket books, saving them from various season\u2019s pass purchases and play gym entries all around the Lower Mainland.<\/p>\n

The concept is simple: the City provides the structural framework that holds a temporary \u2018cover\u2019 over the playgrounds during the rainy season. Structure itself can multi-task by being another play-element within the playground so that it is used year-round.<\/p>\n

The temporary \u2018cover\u2019 can follow suit, being more that just a rain shelter. For example, as depicted here, it can be a made of a light-emitting fabric that counters the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder<\/a>, or simply just brightens a gloomy day. In the evenings, if designed with care, they can be light sculptures that beautifully punctuate, and give character to, a variety of areas in the city. Heating would be provided by good ol\u2019 fashioned winter clothing\u2014just dress <\/span>appropriately and you can enjoy the bounty!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Other VancouverSpeculations<\/strong>:<\/em><\/p>\n