According to this news article, an Oklahoman Boy Scout undertook for his Eagle Scout project a partial renovation of the playground at the Garfield County Child Advocacy Center. I've come across a few such Eagle Scout projects in my time, and I'm always impressed at the good nature, integrity, and work ethic of the scouts.
The problem is, I would never, ever allow an Eagle Scout to build a playground on my property (at least, without having a certified playground safety inspector (CPSI) peek over his shoulder every once in a while!). There are a number things to consider while building a playground - from overlapping zones of play, to distance-from-edge, to potential trapping hazards, to material wear and tear - and inspection and certification by a CPSI can go a long way to limiting a playground's legal liability. Moreover, this playground is on government land! It could ultimately cost the Oklahoma taxpayer a good deal in lawsuit settlements.
I understand why these Eagle Scout projects are allowed to happen. The kid gets his Eagle Scout project done. The school gets a virtually free playground. The problem is, a potentially unsafe playground is being built. How's this for a proposal: as part of the project, the Eagle Scout needs to raise the money to hire a CPSI for the afternoon. It would only cost a few hundred bucks, and would go a long way to reducing the possibility of improper/unsafe construction.
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