Parson's Close Adventure Play Area - Leighton Linslade Town Council

NEW Adventure play area

Parson’s Close Recreation Ground

Summary

The Town Council has had a long term aspiration to increase the availability of accessible play equipment in the parish. This has led to the gradual installation of more accessible play equipment over time in a number of Town Council owned play areas.

As the town’s most centrally located, most popular and most visited park, it has long been the intention to develop a fully inclusive adventure play area in Parson’s Close Recreation Ground, in which children of all abilities and needs can play together – including playing at height. This aspiration forms part of the Town Council’s Five Year Plan and Objectives for 2019-2024.

Update

Following on from engagement with residents and obtaining planning permission, our borrowing application from the Secretary of State was approved, enabling us to move forward with this exciting project.

The innovative new design includes a variety of inclusive play equipment, making it accessible to all. We hope it becomes a wonderful place for children of all ages to have fun, engage in imaginative play, make friends and let off steam. We’re working with our chosen supplier on lead times and will announce start dates as soon as we know.

Preparation

In recent years the Town Council has invested in a gradual improvement of the facilities in Parson’s Close Recreation Ground. The programme has included:

Turning the original temporary beach into a permanent fixture
Replacement of the safety surfacing for the Splash ‘n’ Play facility
Building a new block of individual public conveniences including baby changing facilities
Enhancing the refreshments available to park visitors by offering two concessions; one for food and beverages and one for ice-cream
Liaising with the local authority to successfully obtain funding for a fully accessible Changing Places facility, which provides a safe and comfortable facility for those with even the most profound disabilities and conditions

How has the project design come about?

The Town Council chose to specifically approach contractors with proven experience in designing accessible adventure play. Ideas from other locations were considered and feedback was sought from local groups and organisations with a focus on meeting additional needs, whether physical or mental.

The design will mainly fit inside the existing play area footprint, with a few pieces of equipment aimed at older children located outside the fenced area.

The design will allow children of all abilities to play together in a safe space which provides fantastic play value with exciting use of colours, different types of equipment and spaces for both quiet time as well as group play.

Frequently asked questions

Will the new Play Area affect any of the Park's current features?

Will the Splash and Play remain open?

How is this being funded? Does it mean an increase in my council tax?

When will the work be done?

Will the play area have to be closed during refurbishment?

How can I comment on the design?

How did this project come about?

This project has been a long term aspiration, with information published to the public on the Town Council website throughout the process.

The “Big Plan”, the Town Plan published in 2007 following consultation with some 2,500 residents, included the proposal to pro-actively replace worn out play equipment and add new items to existing playgrounds. The Plan also sought to secure improvements in services for families caring for children or adults with severe, complex and continuing needs.

The possibility of adventure play was suggested in both the 2007 Big Plan and the updated “Big Plan II”, published in 2011 as the Town Plan for 2011-2017.

More recently, the Town Council’s Five Year Plan and Objective for 2019-2024 includes the specific aspiration to develop adventure play in Parson’s Close Recreation Ground.

In developing this plan, the Council commissioned a survey of 500 residents in Autumn 2018. 87% of respondents were supportive of the aspiration to provide great open spaces with a wide variety of sport and leisure activities. This was the third most popular area of focus for the Town Council amongst those surveyed. Comments made during the survey also highlighted a need for facilities for disabled children and an acknowledgement of the importance of parks and play areas for residents of all ages.

The Town Council holds an Annual Parish Meeting each March which is an open opportunity for any comment or question from residents. At the meeting held on 18 March 2019, a specific question was asked about the provision of accessible facilities for wheelchair users in Parson’s Close Recreation Ground.

In accordance with best practice requiring local council transparency, the Council publishes all Council and committee meeting agendas, reports and minutes and welcomes public attendance at meetings for residents to give their feedback and to ask questions. The inclusive adventure play project has been discussed at a number of meetings leading up to the present day.

In January 2020, the Town Council formally adopted an Equality Statement (link to it) and this further strengthens its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in our community. The inclusive adventure play project will provide a fantastic facility which will be accessible to all and which will provide a much needed opportunity for families with children of differing abilities and needs to play together.

The Town Council provides grant funding to a range of local community, voluntary and charity organisations each year and works closely with those organisations. In terms of additional needs provision this has included Autism Bedfordshire, Freddie and Friends Sunshine Stop, Mencap, Home-Start Central Bedfordshire, the “Yes We Can” disability sport programme facilitated by the Rotary Club of Leighton-Linslade, the MS Society, the 1^st Bedfordshire Inclusive Girlguiding unit and Beds and Luton MIND. Feedback from partners such as these has been taken on board throughout the process of working towards this objective.