San Ramon Valley Christian Academy
Danville, California
by Armando Islas, Landscape Construction Project Manager
San Ramon Valley Christian Academy is located in Danville, California. The school is beautifully situated on 6.78 acres and provides Christian education for children 3 years old through 8th grade.
The goal of this project was to complete a playground renovation in less than 60 days so that the new playground was ready for arriving students following their summer vacation.
- Playground Renovation:
- Pressures, Challenges, and Opportunities
- Step One: Demolition and Removal
- Before Playground Renovation Photos
- Step Two: Excavation, Foundation, Drainage, Concrete
- Step Three: Building New Playground Renovation
- Playground Renovation Photos
- Going the extra mile
- Our people at Cagwin & Dorward
- Most Frequently Asked Questions About Playground Renovations
Playground Renovation:
Pressures, Challenges, and Opportunities
Our primary focus was to meet the 60-day deadline. We didn’t have a lot of time, so everyone from the subcontractors, the foremen, and our teams needed to work together to ensure we were on the same page and moving in the right direction. However, during the construction process, we received new change orders, resulting in a new scope of work.
This was a challenge because of the time deadline to complete the renovation as well as an unforeseen obstacle right behind it — COVID.
COVID was a major obstacle that delayed the project for over two weeks due to a few subcontractors and their crews who got the virus.
Step One: Demolition and Removal
Outside of the planning and design, the first thing was to remove all the existing playground equipment, the playground sand, and remove the fiber on the playground.
We also needed to demolish the playground structure, existing planters, and some of the fencing.
Before Playground Renovation Photos
Step Two: Excavation, Foundation, Drainage, Concrete
The next phase after the demolition and removal was to prepare all the site grading and excavation, do all the foundation work, install all the drainage work, and do all the concrete work.
Step Three: Building New Playground Renovation
Once all that work was completed, we started building and installing the custom wood elements of the playground, such as bags, fences, and play kitchens and tables.
We also were simultaneously working on the installation of lots of new trees, plants, and ground covering.
Playground Renovation Photos
Going the extra mile
In spite of the challenges and obstacles, we were able to complete the project. We went from a standard playground to an innovative complete custom-style, one-of-a-kind playground.
The client, the teachers, the children, and the parents all liked the new playground.
Our people at Cagwin & Dorward
As a project manager, I am proud of our team. We always rise to the occasion. I saw our team go the extra mile, work the extra days and hours to get the project done and make our customers happy. It’s about the results, but it’s also about the people. It’s who we are at Cagwin & Dorward.
