Site Furnishings by Wishbone

Higher Education makes the switch

When it comes to purchasing site furnishings made with recycled plastic, without question, municipalities are the driving force.

But there’s a new trend we’re seeing. Universities, colleges and other centers for higher learning are making with switch. And likely for the same reasons: durability, low maintenance, great designs, and perhaps… there’s a subtle message being communicated to students and staff — this campus cares about recycling and is voting with it’s budget.

Take for instance Thompson Rivers University (TRU), in Kamloops, British Columbia. Recently, they have introduced straight park benches (without backrests) and picnic tables around the campus made with recycled plastic boards.

TRU - Rutherford Picnic Table

A new design that Wishbone debuted early in the year caught their attention, so much so that TRU became the first customer of the product. So we named it the Thompson Straight Park Bench.

Thompson Straight Park Bench on recycled plastic decking

TRU’s sister campus in Williams Lake took delivery this year of the same Thompson Straight Park Bench.

The University of British Columbia has made the Modena park bench a standard, and in 2009, the Okanagan campus (UBCO) purchased 30+ Modena park benches to compliment many of their academic and student housing buildings.

Modena Park Bench - UBCO

UBC Properties Trust personnel were impressed with the design elements of the Modena park bench, and the huge recycled content, not only of the plastic boards, but also the cast aluminum frames, which contain recycled pop cans and license plates.

Modena Park Bench - UBC Okanagan

BCIT - Rutherford Picnic Tables

The British Columbia Institue of Technology (BCIT) purchased our Rutherford Picnic Tables to be used in a covered common area.

In Kelowna, BC, the Okanagan College Center for Learning complimented a new building with our Bayview Park Benches (shown in metallic silver powder coated aluminum with sand colored recycled plastic boards). The landscape architects did a great job in tying in the color of the site furnishings with the pavers and the building structure itself.

Okanagan College Center for Learning - Bayview Park Bench and West End Waste Receptacle

Wishbone has also supplied to other institutions such as:

:: Simon Fraser University (solid waste receptacles)

:: Countless primary and secondary schools, either through the district, or via parent advisory committees

Besides site furnishings, Wishbone also provides recycled plastic lumber components for a wide variety of construction applications that displace other materials such as cedar or pressure treated lumber. Examples would be: landscape edgers, playground borders, small retaining walls, fences and small construction projects like decks, platforms, chair rails, players bench seating in gyms/arenas.

Another example, shown below, is a custom waste enclosure at UBC, using 1X6 recycled plastic boards in conjunction with a metal frame.  Wishbone will work with the design professional(s) on how to use recycled plastic optimally, knowing its physical properties, benefits and limitations.

1X6 Plastic Custom Waste Enclosure - UBC

Grounds keepers and physical plant personnel are encouraged to contact Wishbone for their replacement site furnishings.

How not to build a bench…

For most folks just looking to park themselves for a few minutes, they probably don’t notice too much.

Hey, it’s just a bench.

But in this case it doesn’t take much effort to see that something’s wrong. And it’s a good example of how a manufacturer has used recycled plastic lumber incorrectly.

Notice the sag mid span.

The boards have inadequate mid span supports (and in this case, it’s the plastic supporting the metal - the plastic boards are really spanning almost 6 FT, whereas for nominal 2×4 plastic boards, we would recommend maximum 20 inches between metal supports !!).

Recycled plastic lumber generally needs support every 16″ to 20″ on center. While it’s durable material, without metal supports, the boards will sag over time. That saggy look is ok for hammocks, but municipal grade park benches that sag look unsightly, to say the least.

Fasteners are too close to the end of the board (minimum edge distance exceeded) and no room was given for expansion of the boards, hence they are starting to split.

Recycled plastic expands and contracts with changes in temperature, many times more than wood. That reality needs to be accounted for. Wishbone benches have oversized holes for connectors, and maintain appropriate gaps between the end of the boards, and the metal frame.

When you purchase a Wishbone bench or picnic table, you are assured that these and many other design considerations are dealt with so your site furniture looks as good as new, years down the road.

It’s not just a bench !

Next time you sit on the bench, think about this.

Who else has sat on this bench? Someone famous, perhaps a young lady who received a ring from that special man, or perhaps an elderly person who enjoyed the view from there… for the last time.

Man sitting on Modena Bench overlooking Okanagan Lake

Next time you sit on a bench, take in the view. Watch the show. We’re so caught up in media, TV, Internet, billboards, driving here and there, with very little opportunity to be still, and silent… and watch the scene unfold.

John mentioned the other day he was sat on a bench, overlooking the lake. The ducks flew in for a perfect landing, swam around for a bit, then at different times, one of them would submerge, coming up for air at just the right time. Moments later, a muskrat surfaced, with a stick in its mouth, obviously on his way to work ! All this, crisp fresh air, and a moment in time, to be enjoyed by any who will take the time… to sit on a bench.

So, if you’re looking for something to do, why not take some time to do… nothing, but sit. Find that special place. Many park benches enjoy some of the finest real estate in the country. Wishbone is proud to leave our mark at these places, and we invite you to sit and enjoy.

California Goes Green with RPL (Recycled Plastic Lumber)

A great resource for RPL (recycled plastic lumber)

http://www.green.ca.gov/EPP/Furnisher/RPLumber.htm

:: Benefits of RPL

:: Tips on buying RPL

:: Further resources for researching RPL

Wishbone - Big on Recycling

Wishbone is big on recycling, and it shows in our products.

Thanks in part to your 2008 purchases of our site furniture, we were able to divert over 1/2 million pounds of recycled plastics and 3,500 pounds of recycled aluminum from the municipal waste stream.

In other words:

• 375,000 plastic food beverage containers
• 74,000 pounds of shrink wrap and plastic bags
• waste plastic from 285 disposed automobiles, and
• 98,000 aluminum pop cans

are now being put to good use in a park near you.

This message was sent to all British Columbia Landscape Architects in their Spring 2009 directory mailout.

What NOT to do…

Here are some no-no’s we’ve come across:

1. Installing a bench next to a fence, especially at a school or daycare. This may encourage kids to climb over the fence.

2. Replacing wood slats with recycled plastic lumber - without proper support, the plastic lumber will tend to sag over time, leaving you with an unsightly mess. The bench will still work, but no one will want to sit on it.

3. Concrete slabs sized incorrectly. For benches, ensure you have a 4 FT wide slab, and place the bench near the back (keeping minimum 6 inches of edge distance). This will give the user a clean place for their feet. Also make your slab at least a foot longer than the bench length, so there is ample edge distance on this side. This will also make it easier for maintenance crews to work around the bench should there be turf adjacent.

Panoramic view of Kelowna, BC

Wishbone Full Frame bench - our products enjoy some of the best real estate in the country !

Kelowna BC CANADA

Photo Credit: Todd Avison, Zargon Studios www.zargonstudios.com

Installing benches and tables onto a concrete pad

Refer to the attached document for attachment of benches and picnic tables to a concrete pad:

http://www.wishboneltd.com/images/stories/wb_tech_bulletin_-_installation_to_conc_pad_may_2008.pdf

Installing XPotential 6×6 billets as playground surround

Refer to the attached document for instructions on how to install XPotential(TM) or “XP” 6×6 billets as a playground surround / perimeter edging:

http://www.wishboneltd.com/ProductTemplates/PDF/TECHNICAL%20BULLETIN.pdf

Recycling and Waste Reduction (BC Climate Action Toolkit)

Recycling of “waste” resources, complementing waste reduction, not only conserves valuable landfill space, but can significantly reduce overall solid waste-related emissions, e.g. emissions generated from raw materials processing, manufacturing, hauling of waste, and potentially from incineration.

(Municipalities can reduce waste, and can encourage the use/procurement of products made with recycled plastic and recycled aluminum. Read the rest of the article here: http://www.toolkit.bc.ca/tool/recycling-and-waste-reduction)