Menu
Log in


ontario parks association

Protecting Tomorrow Today®

  • Home
  • Registered Playground Practitioner

Registered Playground Practitioner

Instructed By:

Andrew Harvey

Andrew Harvey is a Registered Playground Practitioner, Certified Playground Inspector,  Landscape Designer and owner of Grace-Kells Consultant with over 10 years experience with children's play spaces. His specialities include playground safety and accessibility, playground design, school grounds greening and participatory design. Andrew regularly collaborates on school grounds greening projects and annually conducts research visits at early childhood education centres in Japan. He has a graduate degree in landscape architecture and is a full member of the Association des architectes paysagistes du Québec as well as an affiliate member of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects.

PleaOntario Parks Association (OPA) developed the Registered Playground Practitioner Program to meet the needs of those involved with, and responsible for, the installation, inspection, and maintenance of public playspaces and playground facilities. The Ontario Parks Association instructors include experts from the industry including an architect, liability expert, lawyer, and a representative of the CSA Standards Association. 

Upon completion of the program and achievement of a passing grade in the written examination(s) the participant will be registered by the Ontario Parks Association as a "Playground Practitioner" and is qualified to inspect playgrounds. The OPA Registered Playground Practitioner Program is recognized as a playground safety course for inspectors by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Your "Playground Practitioner" registration will be valid for 4 years post completion date, at that time a mandatory update/refresher course will be necessary to keep your registration valid. 


PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO COURSE: 

- Course length is now only 4 days in length! 

- Exam to be taken online; to be completed by 4:00 p.m. following Wednesday of course.

- Registration as "Playground Practitioner" for the course will now be valid for 4 years, and then mandatory update/refresher will be necessary.


This course teaches:
  • Playspace Strategies (space requirements, playability, access/egress requirements, playspace design, age appropriate issues, playspace materials, & playspace construction)
  • Playspace Evaluation (playvalue and hazard identification, inspection and maintenance, surfacing evaluation, record keeping, CSA overview, & corrective actions)
  • Playspace Management (liability and insurance, due diligence, contractual obligations, risk management, owner/operator responsibilities, employee/manager responsibilities, & playvalue and practical choices)

Required Materials: CSA Z614-20: Children's Playspaces and Equipment (purchase it from the CSA Shop)

This course is worth 2.5 credits towards your Parks Practitioner Designation.

Want to host this session? 
For this session we require a classroom that can accommodate at least 30 people and has a projector, screen, white board or flip chart available. The host facility needs to be within a short distance (preferably walking distance) to a playground that has climbing equipment, independent spring toy(s), a slide (j.r and s.r if possible) and swings for the demonstration portion of the training session.

Here's what people say about this course: 

  • "A lot of information, but a very good course"
  • "Very informative and covered all aspects
  • "Very impressive, the daily guest speakers are a perfect addition to the course"
  • "A really interesting course"
  • "Great job - thanks for all of the knowledge"

Month: March 2024

SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
25
26
27
28
29
Mar 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Apr 1
2
3
4
5
6
For more information on hosting or attending, please send an email referencing the course title to training@ontarioparksassociation.ca
Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software