Maggie - Site Specific

Site Specific Installation: LaBonte Park Tiger Salamander Climbing Structure

Idea: This was an especially hard installation for me to come up with ideas for. That being said, Ashley did really inspire me by suggesting looking at parks in town and doing something child centered. When I was thinking of LaBonte park, I remembered a fun fact that I learned earlier this spring. Apparently Labonte Lake (aka Stink Lake) is a big western tiger salamander breeding ground. Every spring they migrate to the pond to lay their eggs. 

I wanted to incorporate my love for children with my fascination for ecology and zoology. My idea was inspired by the sculpture playgrounds made by Earthscape Play. I really love how they create huge wooden playgrounds made to look like big animals. It creates a sense of whimsy that regular playgrounds can't. 

Materials: 

• Welded steel frame as an internal skeleton
• 2x4 wood planks
• Outdoor paint
• stepping stones made from poured in place rubber (or logs)
• plastic climbing rocks
• rope

Location: This is site specific to LaBonte park because of the tiger salamander breeding grounds in LaBonte lake. I chose this empty location that is between the lake. the community garden, and the existing playground. I have to consider this drainage ditch and whether or not I would like to incorporate it. It stinks to high hell in the summer though, so I might move it a bit further away. I think this is a good location though, because it is far enough away from the lake that it shouldn't directly interfere with the salamander migration but you can still see both it and the playground. 

Inspiration Images: Inspired by Earthscape Play