Chapter 7
7-9
Children's Outdoor Play
Environments
TM 5-803-11
The purpose of the tiered park system is to establish a
Recommendations for improvement are then made by
"specific plan for play" that supports a range of needs for
specifying a need for one or more of the following levels
intellectual, social and physical play. The planning pro-
of service:
cess for a tiered park system must account for the
Tier I inter Service Regional, provides an area of at
diverse needs of the military community as well as the
least 250 acres.
physical constraints of the installation. In addition to a
Tier II Installation Wide, supports base-wide activities
review of the play needs for each family housing area,
such as swimming and spectator games in an area of
existing play areas (both traditional and non-traditional
100 to 200 acres.
such as vacant lots) are rated according to their ability to
Tier III Community and Recreation Services, parcels
support play. Suitable sites for play are then identified,
of 8 to 30 acres serving several family housing areas for
according to the availability of contiguous areas and
league athletic events and other community activities.
proximity to housing, community amenities and circula-
tion paths, among other factors. Location of Community
Tier IV Family Housing Area Parks, sited at the
Activity Centers should also be closely related to this
center of a housing area preferably along a network of
park system, wherever possible.
paths, with an area of 3 to 5 acres each.
Tier V Immediate Neighborhood Parks, 1/5 to 1 acre
sited along major paths used by children and adults, with
provision for shelter, benches, etc.
Tier VI Home-based Play Areas, providing play
opportunities for young children in their own yards.
Tier VII Link Parks, an area 50 to 200 feet wide con-
necting family housing units within the housing area
through a system of paths.
Page 7-30 DG 1110-3-142
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