28. June 2022

Jim and Joann Fonteno Family Park, Houston, USA

Down in the Lone Star State, where the BBQ and live music are accompanied by hot temperatures, is Houston, Texas. Houston is the largest and most populated city in the state and the fourth largest city in the US. With its unique blend of art, award-winning cuisine, fast-growing businesses, cultural diversity and Southern charm, this cosmopolitan city attracts tourists from all over the world.

There lies Harris County Precinct 2, where Commissioner Adrian Garcia has a mission to improve his community for visitors and locals alike. Jim and Joann Fonteno Family Park is a 37.4-acre park northeast of downtown Houston. Named after Jim Fonteno, who served as Precinct 2 Commissioner for 28 years, and his wife, the park offers a great community experience including an amphitheater, nature trails with overlooks and large picnic pavilions throughout the heavily wooded park. A little piece of nature and tranquility in this growing community!

The Precinct really wanted to improve the park by installing a unique piece of equipment that would enhance the play space. They wanted something special that wasn't common among other structures and felt they needed a focal piece that ties everything together. In association with Chris Sadler and Mike True from Harris County Precinct 2 and local Berliner Distributor Fun Abounds Playgrounds, Berliner has installed the first Cloverwood in the United States.

The Cloverwood is not only a unique piece of equipment, but it serves as a piece of art that captivates people from every angle. This stand-alone unit was inspired by another unique product line, the Shout, but with a twist! It still has curves that flow like a wave, but with an innovative new look. The warmth of the wood and the undulating curves create a play sculpture that is both inviting and aesthetically pleasing. It also provides contrast to any play scape, which is an added bonus.

From a bird's eye view, the Cloverwood looks like a clover leaf. This lucky shape has a wonderful meaning to us at Berliner. The shape of the Cloverwood was modeled after our aluminum ring that we use for our spatial nets and call the clover leaf ring. It's a symbol of safety and technical innovation.

The frame itself is made of laminated larch, where the rope netting is stretched across and connected to the frame by our patented Charlotte-Connector. Unlike hooks or other hardware commonly used in this application, the Charlotte-Connector makes the rope disappear elegantly inside the wood frame and outside of children’s reach. Additionally, the Charlotte-Connector has a built-in tensioning capability enabling the owner or operator to retention the net after years of use for a nicer aesthetic. Through steel connectors and support rods, the Cloverwood achieves its unique shape while maintaining incredibly stable.

The Cloverwood is a show-stopping piece of equipment. This one in Houston, Texas is one of three in existence and the only one currently installed in the United States. It's truly a special piece for a special park.

We would like to thank our partner Fun Abounds Playgrounds for this great project and hope that our Cloverwood is a lot of fun for the Houston community.