Balwin Pineapple Park (Edmonton, AB)
Age range 18 months - 12 years+
Inclusive
Accessible
Baby Swing
Standard Swing
Expression Swing
Saucer Swing
Musical features
Sensory features
Zipline
Zipline spinner
Net Structure
Exercise Equipment
Project: Balwin Community Park Playground — City of Edmonton
Client partners: City of Edmonton, AJA Louden (artist), Stantec, Landmark Design / GameTime
Lead: Park N Play Design — Project Manager: Shelley Robinson.
A thoughtfully crafted, fully accessible and art-forward playground designed to reconnect the Balwin community through play — combining custom sculptural elements by AJA Louden, inclusive GameTime equipment and a drum circle gathering space to create a destination for all ages and abilities.
Balwin wanted a playground that did more than replace aging equipment — they wanted a resilient, inclusive civic space that: (a) honoured a local artistic vision, (b) offered sensory and social play across abilities, and (c) was deliverable on a municipal schedule and budget. The design needed to meet City of Edmonton and CSA standards while integrating custom, sculptural features and multi-sensory play components.
Park N Play Design was the single point of responsibility and creative partner — coordinating the artist (AJA Louden), City operations, Stantec and Landmark Design (GameTime’s custom team) to translate an artistic concept into buildable, certified playground components. Our process followed the Landmark Design workflow: Collaboration → Needs Assessment → Preliminary Design → Final Design → Engineer/certify → Construction. This integrated model kept design intent intact while meeting technical and safety requirements.
We organized a tightly scheduled meeting cadence (kickoff and iterative reviews) to lock colours, materials and engineering milestones early, and to coordinate pre-submissions for AB engineering stamping of custom elements — removing surprises during fabrication and installation.
Key elements we supplied and brought to life:
What: Permanently installed percussion pads and circular seating.
Why it matters: Acts as a communal focal point for intergenerational programming, informal music-making and sensory play.
Accessibility: Low-step access and transfer-friendly seating.
What: Custom GFRC seed pods, pineapple appliqués and sculptural motifs integrated across the site.
Why it matters: Strengthens site storytelling, creates a search-and-find game for children and adds distinctive visual identity.
Accessibility: Visual and tactile features support neurodiverse play.
What: Ground-level sensory panels, tactile elements and sheltered domes for quieter play.
Why it matters: Provides alternative entry points to play and supports fine motor, language and social development.
Accessibility: Panels reachable from accessible routes and caregiver seating.
What: Elevated decks, climbing, and slide.
Why it matters: Enables upper-level exploration for children and fosters peer play.
What: Low- and mid-height spinners, balance pods and stepping elements.
Why it matters: Supports vestibular development, balance and imaginative play.
Accessibility: Ground-level elements accessible from poured-in-place surfacing.
What: A mix of regular swings and inclusive seating options.
Why it matters: Provides motion play for older children and adaptive seating for those requiring additional support.
Accessibility: Clear approach paths and transfer zones on compliant surfacing.
What: Continuous, firm surfacing across high-traffic zones with compliant grading to play features.
Why it matters: Maximizes year-round access, safe transfer zones and consistent circulation for mobility devices.
Accessibility: Designed to meet local accessibility and CAN/CSA-Z614 expectations.
What: Powder-coated steel, stainless/galvanized fasteners and UV-stable plastics.
Why it matters: Selected to maximize lifespan in Alberta’s freeze-thaw climate and reduce life-cycle operating costs.
Design compliance was front-of-mind: the playground meets CAN/CSA-Z614 standards, GameTime products are IPEMA-certified where applicable, and CSA compliance documentation was provided.
We managed the project end-to-end as a turnkey delivery:
Balwin’s new playground is designed to be a community anchor — a safe, inclusive place that supports physical development, sensory exploration, social connection and intergenerational gathering. The drum circle, the Piney search game and multi-sensory features were intentionally selected to create repeatable, discoverable moments for families and school programs, increasing everyday use of the park and strengthening neighbourhood bonds.
Want to make an artist-driven, fully custom playground for your community? Contact Park N Play Design to discuss custom concept translation, grant readiness and turnkey delivery.
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