RPTM 435- Fall ‘23

Bernel Road Park

The Pennsylvania State University

Department of Recreation, Park, & Tourism Management

Recreation Site Evaluation #1

Bernel Road Park
Facility Tour Date: September 14, 2023

Sarah Zurn
RPTM 435: Recreation & Park Facility Planning and Management
Assignment Submitted September 21, 2023
To Dr. Andrew Mowen
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Bernel Road Park

Facility Description

Bernel Road Park first opened in Patton Township in 2012. Its first phase included a

playground, a disc golf course, a court for pickleball and tennis, a pavilion, and a walking and

biking path. They are currently working on adding basketball courts, a fitness area, a pump track,

a challenge course, and more (Rushton, 2020).

The playground at Bernel Road Park has sections for children of different ages. In the

front, there are structures for older children, and behind those, there is an area for younger

children. There are also two universal swings past the area for younger children that could be

used by a variety of ages. There is a pavilion close to the playground that can be rented out for

parties or groups. A parking lot sits at the front of the park and there are trails that lead from the

lot into other areas of the park. Bernel Road Park does not have access to running water, but

there is one portable toilet is located near the playground area for visitors to use when needed.

Maintenance tasks at the park range from routine to corrective maintenance. Routine

maintenance consists of emptying garbage cans, picking up any litter found throughout the park,

looking for any environmental hazards (branches, rocks, or anything else sharp or in the way of

recreational areas), cleaning off benches and picnic tables if they get dirty, and emptying the

portable toilet. Preventative maintenance could include checking equipment and courts for any

loose parts, lubricating moving parts, refilling the loose fill materials, and resurfacing or

repainting the pickleball and tennis courts. Corrective maintenance should not have to occur very

often, but this would be actions like fixing or replacing a broken swing, fencing, or picnic table.

Positive Features

One positive feature was that there were different areas of the playground for the

different age groups, and they were spaced far enough apart from one another that children

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would not be running into each other in their respective areas. Having distinct playground

structures for younger children (toddlers) and older children (elementary and middle school age)

could prevent some injuries of children playing on equipment that is too big or too small for

them. Bernel Road Park recognized the two age groups and designed according to that, and this

gives children options and can make sure they play on age-appropriate equipment. The play

structures for the two age groups are also far enough apart that their fall zones do not overlap

(Mowen, 2023b), which provides the children with plenty of room if they do happen to fall off

one of the structures.

Another positive feature were the universal swings, which were located past the climbing

structures on the playground. Many of the other play structures did not look very accessible to

children who use a wheelchair or other adaptive equipment, but the swings are something that

every child could use together. Universal design means that children with different abilities can

all play without having to deal with a barrier. According to the American Society of Landscape

Architects, play is important for children who have disabilities because it can help them practice

their social skills (Universal Design, n.d.), so having universal swings is a step in the right

direction for accessible structures.

Lastly, there were numerous benches found around the playground area so there were

plenty of places for visitors to sit down if they wanted or needed to. These benches give adults

many options for where to sit while still being able to watch their children, whether they are

using the play structures or riding their bicycle on the path that goes around the playground.

Lack of proper supervision can be an issue in playgrounds, but it seems like the playground at

Bernel Road Park was designed with ease of supervision with all of the benches (Mowen,

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2023b). Having multiple places for adults to watch their children can cut down on injuries that

can occur in the absence of supervision.

Negative or ‘Sub-optimal’ Features

A sub-optimal feature found in the park was that the unitary surfacing on the playground

was coming apart in some places where two colors met. This created gaps in a few places around

the play structures, and although the surfacing was not very thick, it still poses a tripping hazard

for small feet. Repairs for the gap need to be done by a trained installer or a professional who has

been certified by the manufacturer of the surfacing (Surfacing the Accessible Playground, n.d.),

which may be a reason why the park has not fixed it if the estimate is expensive or it is difficult

to get in touch with someone who would be able to fix the gap. Nevertheless, it could be a hazard

for visitors and should be checked and maintained frequently to correct gaps before they get

larger.

Another feature that could use work was the fall zone for the universal swings. The

woodchips under the swings were not as deep as they should be, so the fall zone may not be as

effective as it is supposed to be, and the lack of woodchips created a tripping hazard at the

concrete surrounding the swing area since it was not filled up to the concrete. Since these are

universal swings, it may be difficult if someone in a wheelchair would try to get over to a swing

by themselves due to the dip into the woodchips. Loose fill materials like woodchips are likely to

shift around and get compressed down over time, so it is important that staff check fill levels

often and add more when needed to make sure the area is safe for visitors (Surfacing the

Accessible Playground, n.d.).

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Overall Facility Impressions

I thought that Bernel Road Park was impressive for a small park, and it seemed like there

was something different for everyone to enjoy during their visit. Comparing it to the parks and

playgrounds I have been to at home, it has newer play structures and equipment and was better

maintained. Other parks I have visited commonly have garbage scattered throughout the grounds

that sits there for days or weeks at a time, but I did not see any garbage when walking around

Bernel Road Park. Even after reading about the park, I was still surprised they have as many

amenities as they do. I think converting their tennis court into a pickleball and tennis court could

bring more people into the park as pickleball becomes more popular, so that was a good change

to make.

I would be a manager of a park like Bernel Road because it is a great asset for the

community. It looks like those who work for the park take pride in the work they do because the

park is pretty well-maintained with the exception of a few things that could be fixed fairly

quickly (adding more woodchips to the swing area and fixing the gaps in the unitary surfacing).

There are many amenities in the park, like the disc golf course, pickleball and tennis courts, and

the new additions they are adding, which could make the job more interesting rather than

working at a small park that only has a playground and benches.

To make Bernel Road Park better, I think they could spend more time on inspections and

maintenance, mainly in the playground area. Most of the negative features I found could be fixed

with more frequent checks throughout the park to detect issues, like low woodchip levels and

loose bolts on equipment. Scheduling someone to walk around to inspect anything that could

need some attention would take maybe an hour; I do not know how often they do this now, but

checks at least once a week could help them catch problems before they get worse. This could be

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split between different employees and have them trade off each week so one employee may

catch something that another missed.

I would also see if there was a way to get running water into the park so there could

eventually be a permanent restroom. Having a portable toilet is better than no toilet at all, but if

some visitors are not satisfied with that option, they may not return to the park (Mowen, 2023a).

Running water would also allow the park to install water fountains, adding another support

feature to the area. Building a well may be an option; this would cost a lot of time and money,

but having features like a full restroom could make the park more attractive to people in the

community who have not been there before. If they were to get running water in the park, they

would still need the actual building for the restroom. Prefabricated buildings are cheaper than

building it on site (Mowen, 2023a), so this could be less time consuming and less expensive for

them.

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References

Mowen, A. (2023a). Park and Recreation Facility Support Features. Canvas.

https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2274523/files/152652597?module_item_id=39731275

Mowen, A. (2023b). Playgrounds: Design and Safety Consideration. Canvas.

https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2274523/files/153319192?module_item_id=39792849

Rushton, G. (2020, November 9). Patton Township Planning for Phase 2 of Bernel Road Park.

StateCollege.com. https://www.statecollege.com/articles/local-news/patton-township-

planning-for-phase-2-of-bernel-road-park/

Surfacing the Accessible Playground: 7 Things Every Playground Owner Should Know About

the Accessibility of Their Playground Surfaces. U.S. Access Board. (n.d.).

https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-10-play-surfaces/

Universal Design: Playgrounds. American Society of Landscape Architects. (n.d.).

https://www.asla.org/universalplaygrounds.aspx