PAUL HOGAN

HOGAN--Paul. Paul Hogan, international innovative playground and play safety expert, has died at the age of 93 on February 19, 2021 in Newtown Square, PA. He started the "Playgrounds for Free" movement in North America and traveled globally teaching and implementing his concepts. He built over 400 playgrounds worldwide. He handcrafted his homes in his beloved Charlestown Township, PA, where he was a Supervisor for ten years. His homes utilized energy efficient theories decades ahead of his time and were furnished with beautiful handmade furniture. The youngest of five children, Paul was born to Daniel Edward Hogan, builder-developer and Julia Fay Hogan, a teacher before marriage, in Philadelphia, PA. As a boy he often accompanied his father to building sites. His playground career was first inspired in 1958 when he volunteered at The Charlestown Playschool, which his children attended. There he developed a lifetime commitment to ensure all children could have access to safe, affordable and adventuresome playgrounds. In the 1960's, as the Director of Construction for the Neighborhood Renewal Corps of Philadelphia, he organized local industry, parents, children and community groups to build a playground. This was the initial "playground for free" that started a national movement and inspired his first book, Playgrounds for Free. He brought the International Play Association (IPA), whose purpose is to 'protect, preserve and promote the child's right to play as a fundamental human right', which in turn promoted adventure playgrounds to America. As the President he built the membership through publishing "PlayPlans" magazine. He published a trilogy of books on playground construction and safety. In 1979 President Jimmy Carter appointed him as Honorary Commissioner of the US National Commission for the International Year of the Child. He was on the ASTM International Subcommittee for Public Playground Equipment and Playground Surfaces, which acknowledged his work implementing policies and products ensuring that children are better off and at lower risk of life threatening or critical injuries in safe environments, He was a Certified Playground Safety Inspector. His co-invention of the Triax 2000 portable surface impact testing device was critically important to his work as an expert witness in over 550 playground and recreational related cases. Its portability and low cost allow municipalities globally to create safe surfaces for play. As a consultant and lecturer around the world from Russia to Papua New Guinea, Paul always involved the local community in playground creation. These experiences were documented in his book, Nuts and Bolts of Playground Construction, 1984. The goal of his many books on playground construction was to empower communities to build their own play areas. Mr. Hogan served his country in both the Merchant Marines and in the Eleventh Airborne Division. He earned a BA from Goddard College and taught courses at local universities. Between 1965-67 he was the Regional Director of the Peace Corps in Colombia. These two years proved to be a significant life changing experience for Paul and his entire family. His 1995 autobiography, A Philadelphia Boyhood, expressed his love for Philadelphia. His property and 200- year-old bank barn were filled with rescued architectural objects from demolition and auctions and were used for many community and family gatherings. His home had the most creative playground in the area. He taught his children, nieces and nephews everything from making apple cider in his orchard to construction of brick and dry-stone walls. As a Township Supervisor of Charlestown, he oversaw the restoration and preservation of a Charlestown Mill, Longwood School ruins and the Ice Dam ruins. He also managed the construction of playground and pathways on Brightside Farm and Charlestown Park. Paul is survived by his wife Jean Miller Hogan of Newtown Square, PA, a daughter Paula Hogan of Brooklin, ME and a son Orin Hogan of the island of Guadalupe. He is also survived by grandson Colin Tareila (Bettina) and great-granddaughter Gwen Tareila all of Niskayuna, NY and his first wife and mother of his children Olenka Stepanek Folda of Brooklin, ME. Uncle Paul will be missed by many nieces and nephews to whom he always stayed connected, taught and inspired. He was predeceased by his son Teig Hogan who had many of Paul's creative skills and by his brothers Daniel E. Hogan, Edward Hogan, John Hogan and sister Julia Hogan.