Blue Heron Park

Drawing on the inspiration of the local agricultural heritage of King City, this playground is meant to enshrine and preserve the basic building blocks of farm life in Ontario.  This playground is meant to encourage children to get closer to their food, be aware of where their food comes from and appreciate the hard work and sacrifice required to keep us healthy and fed.

The farm day begins when workers gather at the front gate to prepare for the day’s work. A circular meeting place with log seating provides an opportunity to gather, discuss and connect. The first task of the day is shearing the wheat in the field. Fortunately, a giant scythe stands ready to perform the arduous task, and the imaginative workers have managed to turn it into a slide! After that, it’s off to thresh the cultivated wheat. Laid out on racks, the oversize wheat is hauled up and over the frame by the busy workers – who have once again managed to find another way to “slide” out of work!

At lunch, the workers lounge on the surrounding hills and exchange jokes and pleasantries as the clear blue sky stretches overhead.  From their vantage, they can see some of the younger ones have started a game of soccer, which they gleefully join. The day begins to grow late, the shadows long. Only one more task left to do. Slowly the workers plod the farmyard, to store their rich treasure of grain in the granary silo. Precious cargo indeed, it will nourish and support thousands of families for thousands of miles around. The last task of the day done, they head to the trough to water the horses and wash their faces – dinner will be soon.

Client: Township of King
Location: King City, Ontario
Completion Date: 2016