Keeping playgrounds safe for everyone to enjoy is a top priority for the Municipality. There is a dedicated Parks team that regularly inspects playgrounds and tests equipment to ensure they meet the rigorous safety standards and regulations set forth by the Canadian Playground Safety Institute (CPSI). All playground designs and upgrades follow CPSI standards and regulations.

If you have safety concerns with a playground or would like to bring something to the attention of the Municipality, please call Pulse at 780-743-7000 or submit a report online at rmwb.ca/pulse.

The Municipality is committed to building an inclusive region. Accessible design for public spaces is a priority for all capital projects, including parks and playgrounds. Many of the recently updated playgrounds in the region include accessible features, such as:

The following parks have playgrounds with many of these features:

The Municipality is always exploring ways to make public spaces more inclusive and welcome any recommendations by the public. If you have suggestions, please call Pulse at 780-743-7000 or submit a report online at rmwb.ca/pulse.

To ensure playgrounds continue to be safe and available, the Municipality has discontinued rubber surfacing and uses Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) for all new playgrounds and rehabilitation projects.

Using EWF enhances the safety of playgrounds and is best practice for playgrounds throughout Alberta, with many Municipalities using the product. EWF is aligned with CPSI safety standards. It is wheelchair accessible, and meets the accessibility requirements set forth by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). It is also much easier and less expensive to maintain than other surfaces, such as rubber tiles or pour-in-place rubber.

The Municipal Parks team performs regular maintenance on EWF and continuously inspects playground surfaces. Drop tests are done with specialized equipment to ensure the ground can absorb most of the impact from a fall at heights to prevent a serious injury. 

Most playgrounds in the RMWB use Engineered Wood Fiber as surfacing. This material is aligned with Canadian Playground Safety Institute (CPSI) safety standards, and in our region it has consistently received a higher safety rating than rubber on surface tests. It is wheelchair accessible, and meets the accessibility requirements set forth by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

Using EWF enhances the safety of playgrounds and is best practice for playgrounds throughout Alberta, with many Municipalities using the product. It is specifically designed to ensure accessibility, be easy on the feet, not leave splinters, and is sanitary. In addition, it is easier and much less expensive to maintain.

EWF will continue to be used to resurface parks in the region as it is a superior and safer product than rubber.

Rubber surfacing was initially installed in many of the parks in the region as it was considered a safer alternative to grass, concrete or sand. However, our region’s weather (long cold winters and hot summers), deteriorates the rubber surfacing quickly. This requires frequent and expensive maintenance and replacement of the rubber surfacing to ensure our playgrounds remain safe.

When a playground fails an inspection or safety check, it needs to be fully or partially closed for repairs to ensure it’s safe for everyone.

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 9909 Franklin Avenue Fort McMurray Alberta T9H 2K4

Phone: 780-743-7000 Toll free: 1-800-973-9663

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