Location: Schnecksville, Pa.
Surface System Used: PlayBound™ Poured-In-Place
Completion: December 2025

Overview

The mission of the Lehigh Valley Zoo, located in Schnecksville, Pa., is to connect its community with nature to empower people to protect wildlife. In the Spring of 2025, the facility began a major renovation to the lower part of the zoo, where the barnyard animals reside. The new Children’s Activity Area now includes the Fred and Anne Jaindl Barnyard and the St. Luke Children’s Hospital Playground, which features PlayBound™ Poured-In-Place surfacing.

Key Challenges and Solutions

The Zoo broke ground in July and completed the playground and barnyard in December of 2025. The goal of this project was to increase opportunities for guests to get close to animals and see them in a new way while providing new educational opportunities.

The Fred and Anne Jaindl Barnyard includes a dozen goats, a family of alpacas, sheep, and a potbellied pig. The St. Luke’s Hospital Playground replaces 20-year-old equipment. The new play area is highlighted by two play structures: a large piece of equipment designed for guests ages 5 to 12 and a smaller structure for guests between the ages of 2 and 5-years-old. There is also a trio of StemPlay structures, customized panels and spinners, and a 360-loop with an accessible slide-transfer-climbers combination.

In addition to the new equipment, the 5,500-square-foot playground also features PlayBound Poured-In-Place surfacing. This 2-layer system is comprised of a basemat made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) and polyurethane and a top surface consisting of recycled post-industrial Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber or TPV Granule and aromatic or aliphatic urethane binder. Surface America uses an industry-leading percentage of material in its top surface, significantly increasing the surface’s expected life.

Because the rubber and urethane components are mixed and applied on site, custom colors, logos, games, and/or geometric shapes can be permanently incorporated into the surface. The St. Luke’s Playground features a variety of earth tone colors and animal footprints.

The St. Luke’s Hospital Playground was designed and constructed by Recreation Resource USA and BCI Burke Company. This one million dollar project was so successful that it was awarded as a 2026 Top Project and Deal by Lehigh Valley Business. Now that Phase 1 is complete, Phases 2 and 3, which will include a children’s activity area and education center, will be completed in 2026.

Photo Credit: Kevin Umbreit, CPSI, RISC, Recreation Resource USA

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