On the Erie Canal

On the Erie Canal is a custom play structure for families travelling through New York's Mohawk Valley.

As part of the 200th anniversary celebration for the Erie Canal, the state of New York hired Barbara to create a custom wooden play structure for the Mohawk Valley Welcome Center. Renown as a treehouse builder and designer, Barbara also makes creative play structures on a variety of themes, which made her a perfect fit for this project. Another core value of Barbara’s vision is seamless, upbeat collaboration with other professionals who create complementary elements for all-inclusive playgrounds and play spaces. These combined skills explain her track record of creating top-notch commercial outdoor play structures!

Families stopping at the Mohawk Valley Welcome Center along I-90 in New York will find a charming sustainable playground where kids can act out their Erie Canal adventures. In fact, our custom barge replica and adjacent shipping container climbing structure is located on the banks of the actual river where historic barges passed. Our wooden play structure elements are seamlessly integrated with concrete mules and old-fashioned barrels from another vendor to create a fun and educational destination.

With New York’s State Motto "Excelsior" hand-carved into her hull, our redwood barge is ready to journey back in time to the days of hauling anything from lumber, barrels of apples, or cloth to families making a Westward move. Younger players can explore the stack of shipping containers that doubles as a playground structure for preschoolers with a gentle slide and age-appropriate climbing opportunities. The inclusive playground design includes ADA transfer steps cleverly built as cargo boxes to fit in with the larger structure.

To add to the authentic feel of this unique park, the barge comes complete with faithful replica of a historical compass created by one of our master painters. It is located on a table near the captain’s quarters, the hand-carved, wooden captain’s wheel provides a pleasing tactile experience while also stimulating children’s creativity.

Because contributing to sustainable playgrounds is at the heart of our mission, we coated the wooden play structure with our signature all-natural tung oil stain, which imparts a deep color while also protecting against the elements. Unlike paint, it also allows the grain of our sustainable redwood lumber to shine through, creating a smooth and unique structure that is as fun to run your hand over as it is to look at.

This structure meets ASTM F1487 Standards for Public Use Playground Equipment and the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act.