General Recreation Community

Welcome to the General Recreation Community section. Check here for recent articles and updates from around the country about General Recreation.

Honoring the past, celebrating the future: Anderson Farm Park

Montgomery County’s Upper Providence Township in Oaks, P.A., is in the midst of implementing a four-year master plan to develop a world-class recreational area on the site of the original Anderson Farm.

“It hasn’t been a working farm for about 20 years and it’s a strong source of nostalgia in our community,” says Recreation Director Sue Barker.

Wide, open fields now include walking paths and a variety of recreational activities. General Recreation has been a key partner, from installing a multi-purpose bandshell in 2009, to designing a new playground adjacent to a recreation center slated to open this spring.

The playground project was made possible by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The design of the new recreation center, while contemporary, is a nod to the Anderson Farm barn that was in the same location years ago.

“It was very important that the playground honor the farm with a barnyard theme, but with a modern feel. To achieve this, we were counting on Gen Rec’s creativity,” explains Barker.

The “farm” includes details such as customized farm animal spring riders, custom “barn panels” and a barn-themed clubhouse. In a section for younger children, there’s a green pasture encircling a blue pond, which is really poured-in-place rubber safety surfacing. Barker and her team also were excited to incorporate nature inspired play components, such as realistic climbing rocks and a log stepper from Landscape Structures.

“Every step of the way, Gen Rec’s been there to answer our questions. We can count on them to be honest, open and onsite. It’s a load off my mind to know they can handle everything,” she says.

“Even the adults in our community think the playground is cool,” laughs Barker. “And the kids can’t wait to come out and play, too.”

Want to let your inner child out? Give the kids in your community a chance to have fun-filled playground experience.

Contact Gen Rec at 800-726-4793 for more information or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it us. To see other playground projects that we have completed Click Here

Gen Rec announces powerful customer tool: “Build Our Playground”

In an effort to partner further with potential customers and provide unmatched added value for our clients, we have developed a website tool that can be utilized by their communities to increase project visibility, to build community involvement, and to raise funding online.

General Recreation’s “Build Our Playground” tool is perfect for school, community, or religious groups, or any other volunteer group in the early stages of developing their playground project.

Fitness circuit playground a “win” for El Primer Paso

As the El Primer Paso school family and supporters gathered, along with New York Jets players, to spread 20 tons of green and white loose-fill rubber mulch around their new play area, Susan O’Donnell reflected that this was a “long-time dream” for the school.

“We send out proposals all the time, but I never in a million years thought a small organization like ours would receive something so meaningful,” says O’Donnell, director of El Primer Paso in Dover, NJ.

Welcome to General Recreation

gc_logo_web

General Recreation, Inc. has been assisting local clients for nearly forty years. Through our affiliation with nationally known manufacturers we offer the greatest selection and most innovative recreation products available. We’ve helped to develop thousands of recreation projects. Putting our design expertise to work, we have assisted public and private parks and recreation areas, schools, childcare facilities, community groups and institutions realize their potential. The recreation environment continues to change and grow. As industry leaders, we’ve helped to guide its advancement, working closely with design professionals, recreation directors and boards, parent/teacher groups, community volunteer groups, childcare providers, and owners of municipal, institutional and industrial facilities.

A sensible, proactive approach to every project enables us to provide the best possible value to our clients.
OodleSwingLoRes
Whether you’re looking to replace components, enhance existing facilities, develop a new project or build a “Community Built” playground or skate park look to us for all the assistance you will need. Personalized and local consultation is the key to our ability to meet your particular requirements. Rather than recommending standardized solutions, we encourage direct contact with our experienced personnel so we may provide unique products and services that will meet your particular specifications. This one-on-one relationship ensures that all pertinent issues; such as safety, site specific requirements, age considerations, ADA requirements, materials, installation and maintenance are discussed clearly and in detail. We are able to provide guidance throughout all phases of your project, including planning, equipment installation and maintenance requirements.

Our products are crafted with the highest quality materials that will provide for many years of rugged service. Representing brand name manufacturers of everything from site furnishings and pavilions to aquatic play areas, skate parks and play equipment; our knowledgeable staff can assist you to specify exactly the right products for your unique project requirements. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to meet your specifications and exceed your expectations.

A Q&A with Troy Diel of Old Santee Canal Park

Troy Diel is the park director of Old Santee Canal Park in Moncks Corner, SC.

Q. What makes Old Santee Canal Park special?

A. We’re located in Berkeley County, just 30 minutes from downtown Charleston. Old Santee Canal Park was originally the site of a plantation built in 1845. Our 195 acres border the Cooper River and commemorates the first canal in American history—the Santee Canal that connects the Santee and Cooper Rivers.

We have four miles of natural trails for hiking, a 15,000 square foot interpretative center, the Berkeley County Museum, and canoe and kayak rentals for exploring the swamp and waterways.

Q. Why did you choose to contract with General Recreation for Old Santee’s playground designs and updates?

A. We’d had a great experience working with General Recreation when they installed a Cedar Forest structure in the Little David Children’s Garden. Gerald was involved in every aspect from the design to construction.

Q. Why did you go with a natural play theme?

A. Our park commemorates South Carolina’s beautiful natural resources and history. The Little David Children’s Garden, our educational area for kids, explores these resources. It was only fitting to add playground elements that fit into that environment. The new structure includes a tree house, stumps, climbing boulder, and natural bark elements.

Q. What makes a great relationship with a playground design/build company?

A. It’s important that the designer can take your vision and translate it into the design. Gerald was able to do this with each of our park’s projects. He made everything very clear and easy.

With the new playground structure, our children’s garden is even more special than before. Working with Gerald to install the new playground structure helped us seamlessly implement our vision. This made the children’s garden even more special.

For more information on how General Recreation can help you, call Gerald Hitch at 866-304-1062 or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
To see other playground projects we have completed Click Here

WHAT WE DO