Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Playground
Project Overview
The playground at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Traverse City, Michigan, is a popular spot. Favored by the church’s littlest parishioners, it also gets ample weekday use from the elementary school across the street. Add in the wear and tear of Michigan’s famously snowy winters, and the playground’s original wood chip surfacing just wasn’t cutting it. Immaculate Conception wanted a recreation area that was both safer and cleaner for its kids.
Since installing a new synthetic turf playground with Envirofill, Immaculate Conception has been able to feel confident sending little ones off to play in a space they know is both fun and secure.
The Challenge
Traverse City gets a lot of snow. For play areas like Immaculate Conception’s old playground that rely on loose fill wood chips, to cushion kids’ inevitable falls and provide critical fall height protection, that’s a problem. Not only do wood chips retain moisture easily, making them susceptible to mold and bacteria, but without regular restocking, the coming and going of snow makes for inconsistent chip thickness. Immaculate Conception hoped for a lower-maintenance solution, but more than anything, they wanted a guarantee that where their kids were playing was reliably safe and clean.
The Solution
SYNLawn Michigan installed 18,000 square feet of artificial turf with Envirofill in alternating stripes — a fun, aesthetically pleasing look for a space that’s meant to inspire imaginative play. Envirofill’s Microban antimicrobial product protection helps prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew — exactly what the Northern Michiganers needed to guarantee a safe, clean play area. Since Envirofill is non-toxic, it’s also safe if accidentally ingested. Plus, with artificial grass and Envirofill, there are no more splinters.
Envirofill is great for playgrounds because it is low maintenance. It is easy to plan, easy to clean up, and easy to maintain. With limited migration of the product and superior drainage, it is perfect for Michigan installations that will see heavy and frequent amounts of snow.
Protected Playtime
A non-toxic product designed to help fight bacteria and microbes, Envirofill keeps Immaculate Conception’s playground — and the small mouths and noses in it — free of harmful particles. Since young kids, with their still-developing organs, are particularly susceptible to toxins, that peace of mind is crucial.
Works Wonders In All Weather
Unlike the old wooden mulch, Immaculate Conception’s artificial turf and Envirofill easily withstand inclement weather. When the snow melts, it simply drains through the turf and infill — no need for costly (and time-consuming) cleanup.
A Built-to-Last Guarantee
Since putting in the new playground surfacing, Immaculate Conception has had zero complaints — and they expect to be happy with it for some time to come. Because it’s so durable, Envirofill can be repurposed for multiple turf lifecycles without making it any less reliable. Combined with an industry-best 16-year warranty, that’s a whole lot of playtime.
Where to Buy Infill for Your Landscape Project
Motz provides Envirofill and Safeshell for landscaping projects through our nationwide distribution network. Envirofill is sold in 50lb bags, and Safeshell is sold in 25lb bags for landscape applications that can be shipped anywhere in the United States. Use our map to find the nearest distributor who will consult with you on your landscape project.
