Just over one year ago, two giant pandas arrived at Edinburgh Zoo from China as part of the zoo’s breeding programme.
Tian Tian, meaning “sweetie”, and Yang Guang, meaning “sunshine”, have two separate enclosures at the zoo, one of which includes a Playtop surface.
The zoo, which already uses Playtop in it’s koala house, chose the surface due to its cushioned and porous properties.
Sadly, the pandas have not successfully mated yet. But when they do what a great selling point that will be!
Playtop has been used by Perth Racecourse in Scotland for its parade ring.
Racing has taken part at Perth for 400 years and the racecourse has a policy of ensuring that every conceivable opportunity is taken to minimise injury to the horses.
Due to Playtop’s porosity, any water freely drains away keeping the horses dry and clean. The cushioning of Playtop also protects the horses’ legs and dampens any sound.
NSW Public Works is now specifying PolySoft, an Australian manufacturer of world-class playground and aquatic surfacing, for upcoming school, childcare and community centre projects.
PolySoft is becoming a popular choice within the Australian recreational industry because it not only meets the high standards of the Australian Childcare Industry Best Practice regulations, but it also offers impressive design options. There is a modern palette of 18 playful colours that can be mixed and matched, and a customised graphic element can be integrated into a PolySoft surface.
Key features of PolySoft include its ability to stay cool underfoot, even on the hottest days, as well as excellent slip resistance, impact attenuation and fire resistance levels. Specialized pigments in PolySoft prevent premature fading and degradation and the surface is hygienic, nontoxic and easy to maintain.
PolySoft offers both porous and impervious solutions making it suitable for playgrounds and landscaping projects as well as pool surrounds and aquatic areas.
Darling Quarter has emerged as the winner of the Kidsafe 2012 National Playspace Design Awards in the $1M or more category. Sydney’s state-of-the-art Darling Walk Family Playground features PolySoft surfacing on its custom-designed hill slides, which have proved a hit with young visitors.
PolySoft particles are designed to reduce surface heat, protecting little bare feet on hot days. With an R10 slip rating and excellent impact attenuation, kids can let loose in an exciting, safe environment.
The award recognises excellence and innovation in providing safe, creative playspaces for children across Australia. According to the judges, “this project has broken the mould for traditional playspace design. No one would expect such a rich play experience available in the CBD”.
