Benefits of community playgrounds and HOA parks

Build your own HOA community playground and park

HOA community playgrounds and HOA parks can offer a great deal for your residents. They can serve as vibrant hubs, fostering a sense of unity and togetherness among homeowners of all ages. They offer more than just a place to play. They create a shared space for everyone to enjoy. For example:

1. A space for all: Community playgrounds and HOA parks are developed to be utilized by everyone in a community—irrespective of one's age, interest, or selected activities. They can be places for socializing, strolling around, jogging with a view, enjoying a picnic, and many more activities.
    
2. Property value: As an association board member, you are on the front lines when upgrading your property and amenities is required. Your hard work regarding maintenance and renovation is poured into the community and can pay off by boosting home values and attracting more residents for years to come.
    
3. Environmental awareness: Landscapes and places of recreation can be used to invest in ecological responsibility. Areas around the community playground and HOA park can also serve as green zones that filter the air, become habitats for other living organisms, and help store stormwater runoff. With these initiatives in place, the number of residents who maintain the community may increase, keeping it clean and well taken care of.
    
4. Health and wellness: Community playgrounds and HOA parks can be essential for the health and development of your community. They provide spaces for various sporting activities and outdoor games, improving many areas of childhood development. They can also help the rest of the community, as all residents would greatly benefit from adding an area dedicated to wellness and physical activity in their homes.

How can I get an HOA park or HOA community playground approved?

Among other things, building successful amenities requires careful planning, especially as an HOA board member. Using this simple step-by-step process may help your process in developing one:

1. Assess your needs and resources

   • Space: First, consider available land within the HOA community and find factors like size, which holds features one would want and allows for expansion, ease of access for all ages and abilities, and the center location for community use.
      
   • Budget: Assess the project budgets. Consider every potential funding source, including HOA reserves, fundraising, grant opportunities, etc., to ensure appropriate funding for this community space.
      
   • Community needs: This can be achieved with proper community communication through surveys or open forums, where residents can indicate the features or the age-appropriate equipment they want in a community space.



2. Build your team

   • Hire a consultant: Engage the services of a highly experienced, qualified consultant on HOA projects. Their expertise will be most valuable in guiding from preliminary assessment to design, complying with regulatory agencies, and staying within budget through each process, not to mention a landscape architect who will make clear the necessities, creating walkways, benches, and green spaces as necessary.
      
   • HOA board and management: The HOA board of directors and management company should be in close contact with procedures and cooperate as closely as possible. Before any plans are pursued, educate them about the advantages of this project and align them with the proposed budget.



3.  Design and planning

   • Plan it: Although resource-intensive, your HOA playground or park can pay off in the long run. With your consultant, get a master plan detailing the space, equipment, landscape components, and budget—making this place an interactive civic social spot.
      
   • Safety considerations: Work with your consultant to ensure that the design meets all HOA playground and park safety requirements, keeping in mind the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It is necessary to create a space where everyone feels embraced and enjoys it without trouble or barriers.
      
   • Following HOA rules and regulations: Review the HOA documents to determine whether the proposed design can accommodate construction or other restrictions on specified activities. Address any conflicts early in the playground and HOA park planning process to iron out approvals later. If these need to be set up within your HOA board, read our article for more information on setting HOA rules and regulations.
      
   • Community input: If the residents' opinions are sought out in open meetings or through online questionnaires, this would foster a feeling of ownership. Address these concerns and, where applicable, incorporate valuable suggestions into the design to ensure that what is built appropriately meets the community's needs and preferences.



4. Procurement of approvals

   • HOA board approval: Present the finalized community space design and budget before the HOA board for official approval. That is where outstanding concerns must be highlighted and explained. Ensure that all board members understand the project's value and long-term benefits before taking their endorsement to allow a go-ahead with confidence.
      
   • Permits: Obtain all local permits for construction and/or installation. Your consultant should be able to guide you through the permit process to ensure that all specific requirements are met before the projects are sent for development and later implemented 



5. Funding and fundraising

   • HOA reserves: If needed, you may be allowed to dip into existing HOA reserves for funding. There are other ways to generate more if such reserves cannot cover the amount.
      
   • Grants: To alleviate your project's costs, check for local and state grants that can be combined with your internal funding to support the project's financing.
      
   • Fundraising: Organize events like charity walks, bake sales, or community BBQs to gather more funds from residents within the community. Get the community involved in supporting the institution toward such fundraising activities; this will build synergies and common interests for the project's success. Seek activities that Will Enhance Funding? See below and refer to our article for eight community event ideas to engage your residents 

Building an HOA community playground inside your community is more about creating a play space than just building; it's a task that brings people together, improves the quality of life, and enhances property values. With the help of this piece, we hope you will successfully navigate through the HOA playground and park planning, approval, and funding. Demographic shifts and changing attitudes toward wellness can help the community's well-being through health and wellness characteristics.

Therefore, consider the top amenities residents are looking for. Take this opportunity to create a place where all residents, including those young and young-at-heart, gather to socialize, play, and forge lifelong memories!

Contact FirstService Residential to learn more about how our team can support your vision.