Hayling Road, South Oxhey

Location:
Hayling Road
South Oxhey
Hertfordshire

Date of installation: 2011

Hayling Road Play Space, South Oxhey

Overview

The play site is situated within an urban playing field, surrounded by housing.  The old play area offered very little to the local children due to its age, vandalism and lack of play equipment.  Due to its grass surfacing, it could only be used during dry summer months as it was too muddy to use in the colder, wet seasons.

Extensive public consultation was conducted with all the local primary schools, local residents, children's groups such as Play Rangers,and youth groups.  It was decided to make a decision on which company would be designing and installing the new play area at an early stage in order to involve them in the design consultation process.

It was identified that play provision for those with a disability was lacking.  The site now offers inclusive play and surfacing that enables the play area to be used all year round. A previously flat level play area has been greatly expanded to offer a toddler and an 8-14yr play area that include timber and netting climbing structures, embankments, cable way, swings and an impressive tree house.  Toddlers have been provided with ride on animal springies, a wide slide, trampoline and sand play as well as a wooden and shrub maze!

Purpose of Scheme

The aim of the new scheme was to provide an all-weather play area that was suitable for toddlers up to mid-teens.  For older children, it had to be challenging and exciting and the equipment needed to appeal to their physical abilities.  It is also hoped that by involving the community throughout the design process this will evoke a feeling of ownership of the new play area and may deter vandalism.

Younger children have been provided with a separate play area to ensure their safety and this contains suitable equipment for their age.  A pendulum basket seat swing, wide slide and roundabout disc are all suitable for those with disabilities - something that was lacking in the previous play scheme.  As part of the consultation, Three Rivers District Council specifically worked in partnership with Colnbrook MLD School to ensure children and young people who have a learning and/or physical disability had their say in the final design.

Design Solutions

The extensive public consultation involved a total of 404 South Oxhey residents as well as mailing over 3,500 local residents in South Oxhey.  Consultation sessions were set up in the local library for the general public to attend and the officers also visited various community groups, including a toddler group, Children's Centre sessions and Play Rangers.

Each of the 6 local primary schools was visited and the youth group so youth were also consulted to see what they wanted in their play area.

To ensure all weather use, ‘bounce back' safety surfacing has been used around the equipment and Astro-Turf has been used on the grass covered mounds.

The bespoke mounds provide different levels in the play area: two are joined by a low rope and timber bridge with a plastic tunnel going through another into the toddler area, providing a hiding place and giving younger children a sense of adventure.

Play equipment for older children includes:

• Pick-up Sticks timber climbing structure with rope netting

• Pendulum Swing with Basket Seat         

• Wooden tree house with Tube Slide

• Timber Forest unit with green and yellow panelling

• Bespoke grassed embankment with wood revetments and climbing nets   

• Embankment Slide

• Cableway

• Hammock Swing
• Disc Roundabout

Play equipment for younger children includes:

• Camel Spring Mobile

• Sunken Trampoline

• Sand Play

• Double Cradle-Seat Swings

• Timber and shrub maze

Reason for using various design components:

• Safety Grass surfacing to help to minimise muddy areas forming

• Hardwood round timber has been used which is robust enough to withstand normal use and vandalism - something the previous play area had suffered from

• The area has a perimeter fence to prevent access to dogs

• Tarmac pathways offer all year round use for wheelchairs and pushchairs

• The Pendulum Basket Seat Swing is ideal for use by disabled children / young adults

• Small stone boulders provide informal seating