LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.
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Above Sculpted concrete tree trunks are a unifying motif throughout the playground. Middle Kids just love dinosaurs, probably because they're just plain big and scary. That they're extinct further inspires children's imaginations. The Trinity River Valley's prehistoric past is reflected in the reinforced concrete dinosaur climber. When we were youngsters our parents taught us to respect the very young and the elderly. "You were one of them once, and you'll be the other one day," I remember my mother saying. Now that I am one of "the others" it seems I have become more and more focused on helping young people play. I have devoted most of my 30 plus years as a landscape architect to park planning and design. I often wonder what led me down this path. I am certain one reason is that I can think of no other sound more splendid than a child's laughter. Into the Woods What parent or grandparent doesn't recall charging off into the woods and meadows to explore nature's wonderful gifts? We would climb trees, jump from boulders, catch bullfrogs, dive into ponds, chase rabbits …. and never worry about catching poison ivy 74 Landscape Architect and Specifier News or getting scared off by snakes. Sadly, it seems those days are gone forever. Children can no longer wander away from home in the morning and return hours later without taking a cell phone. And when they do venture onto the latest playgrounds, they are greeted with fences and warning signs and fall surfaces and clearance zones. Is "King of the Hill" allowed any longer? Have you seen a rope swing lately? I've read that some cities and schools are now banning dodge ball. It's a wonder kids enjoy playing outside at all these days. Dedicated to Nature So when the city of Arlington, Texas asked The DFL Group and The Landscape Alliance to design a new and creative playground in River Legacy, their premier park, we jumped at the chance. It seemed we had all the ingredients we needed to design something special….the perfect site, the ideal program and a