The Pripyat Ferris Wheel (photograph by Alexandra Jade Flintoff)
Children’s playgrounds were prolific in the USSR.
They formed an integral part of the urban landscape, and by the 1970s and 80s these basic metal affairs appeared in almost every park across many of the larger Soviet cities.
They were built outside schools, beneath church towers, and on the side of roads.
As with many of the other fittings associated with the USSR, playground accessories were usually produced en masse at large manufacturing plants.
As a result, there was a tendency for these to follow repetitive patterns and designs: with playgrounds and parks from Eastern Europe to Russia’s Pacific Coast often featuring identical sets of swings and seesaws, rockets and roundabouts, bridges and monkey bars.
An abandoned Young Pioneer Camp in a forest in Russia (photograph by Darmon Richter)
My name is Rod Parham, Hot Metal Compositor. I was born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1947. Single with two children and a grandson. I Love History, Movies and Words.
2 Responses
Jim Douglas
We did see some of these works of art ? when i was there in 86/7 .I never saw a kid playing on them I should add and that could have been because it was mostly 0c or less .I certainly didn’t have a go as I was too bloody cold to move .
The Pripyat Ferris Wheel (photograph by Alexandra Jade Flintoff)
An abandoned Young Pioneer Camp in a forest in Russia (photograph by Darmon Richter)
We did see some of these works of art ? when i was there in 86/7 .I never saw a kid playing on them I should add and that could have been because it was mostly 0c or less .I certainly didn’t have a go as I was too bloody cold to move .
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Great Stuff, but I thought you were braver than that.
Rod
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