Case Study: Soaring Along the Bow River – Osprey Playground at Rockland Park
Location: Calgary, AB
Project Type: Neighbourhood Playground
Highlights:
- KOMPAN Architectural Design: Bespoke Osprey Play Structure
- Inclusive design elements and universal accessibility : Accessible to children of all ages and abilities, creating social play and discovery.
- Community-centered: Brand new playground for the master-planned Rockland Park community.
- Sustainable materials: Robinia wood structures provide durability and a low carbon footprint.
Located in the brand new, master planned community of Rockland Park in Calgary, AB, this playground soars to new heights!
Designed and built to help bolster this growing neighbourhood, the Osprey Playground offers an exciting outdoor play space for families of all ages and sizes. Packed full of amazing KOMPAN products like a custom Osprey play structure from KOMPAN’s Architectural Design, and other Robinia play features, including a double zipline, this park has already wowed the residents in this area and continues to entice those looking to settle and put down roots in Rockland Park.
Installed in June 2024, Parkworks collaborated with LA West (Calgary) Inc. to bring this park to life. As osprey are a ‘local resident’ of the area, making their nests along the cliffs overlooking the Bow River, this project was aimed at paying homage to these incredible birds by creating an iconic play space that would make the Rockland Park neighbourhood stand out.
The Challenge
Being a new community, Rockland Park was keen to see playgrounds implemented into the neighbourhood early to help attract new residents to the area. Aiming to draw families with children to the neighbourhood, the client recognized that playgrounds are a key amenity that families look for. They wanted to create a space that fostered creativity and play while also acknowledging the osprey who call the river valley home. Utilizing natural elements and play structures, such as KOPMPAN’s Robinia line, helped tie the playground in with the surrounding landscape, including the beautiful Bow River valley that borders the park.
This playground would not only help bring new, enriching play spaces to the growing neighbourhood, but would also help transform the area into a family-friendly hub geared towards encouraging outdoor play and building social connections within the community.
The Solution
As the Osprey structure itself was custom, the Parkworks team worked closely with the experts at KOMPAN, one of our expert manufacturers, to ensure that they had all the necessary specifications to ensure that the entire playground could be installed correctly.
This project would not only provide endless fun and entertainment for the families who already call Rockland Park home but also help entice prospective buyers to settle in the new neighborhood.
The Implementation
With the Osprey being a one-of-a-kind design in the world, it was important to coordinate every detail on site to confirm its safe landing at Rockland. While the actual installation itself went smoothly, a lot of communication and teamwork was required in the construction of the park to ensure that the entire play space would be ready for the play structure once it arrived.
Going back and forth with KOMPAN and continuing to communicate with everyone else involved in this project, Parkworks was able to quickly solve problems and find solutions when issues arose. Having clear and concise communication with all parties involved allowed problems to be solved in a timely manner, which resulted in the efficient installation of the Osprey structure itself when it arrived.
Installing the Osprey structure took only a few days, allowing eager and excited kids in the neighbourhood to enjoy the playground while the other elements – such as the zipline, swing set, and seesaw - were finished. This allowed for maximum fun while still maintaining safety until the entire park was completed.
The Outcome
Working closely with the client and understanding both their vision and their needs for this playground, Parkworks was able to work with KOMPAN to design an Osprey play structure that would not only help the park stand out to new residents in the area but would also acknowledge the birds that also call Rockland Park their home.
From slides to swings to ropes to ziplines, this playground truly has something for everyone! Kids can climb their way up the osprey to get a bird’s eye view of the Bow River before sliding down to race their friends on the epic double zipline.
With the support of Parkworks and its partners, Osprey Playground at Rockland Park opened to the public during the summer of 2024 and has already become a favourite play space for both residents and visitors who are excited for a chance to soar along the Bow River at this iconic Osprey playground.
Looking to create a fun, inclusive, and unique park or playground for your community? Let our team of experts guide you every step of the way! At Parkworks, we specialize in transforming spaces into thriving community hubs.
Contact us today to start building the park of your dreams!