New designs for adventure playground

Story: Sam Galbraith

Children got a chance to have their say in the design of a new building at Pitsmoor Adventure Playground. With the help of a ‘Big Brother’-style tent, children voiced their feelings.

Sheffield City Council paid for a consultation event about the new building for children and adults at Pitsmoor Adventure Playground. The children could go in the “Big Brother “tent and say what they liked and disliked about the playground. I asked one of the children what she thought. She said,

“It’s a good way to get ideas because they are asking them questions. I like the Big Brother tent because they are asking those questions.”

Shannon said,

“It’s good because there are a lot of people here. It might mean more children come here to play. I’ve been in Big Brother. I like it because it’s got cameras and you can touch the camera”.

Children could also draw how they thought the new railings should look and where the new windows should go. Local artist Cassie Limb is involving them in exploring the use of glass. Mikael said,

“It’s good because I am good at writing and colouring and it’s a good way to get ideas”.

There were boxes that they could put their hands in, feel different types of materials like brick, glass and glass and say which they preferred. “This building is old fashioned”, said another child,

“the building bricks are all in different places, some are big and some are small. I like glass”.

I asked Clare Humberstone who works for Children’s Voices, the department of the Council that organised the event, why she thought consultation was important. She said,

“This is what people concerned in the development of the building wanted – kids' involvement in the design. It builds the ethos for involving children; it’s their space at the end of the day. If they don’t like it, they won’t use it. If Activity Sheffield put the right stuff on, children will use it”.

Richard Fowler, a Sheffield City Council manager agreed,

"it's important that children have ownership of the site; it’s their playground, after all.”

Steve Edwards, Play Development Officer, agreed that it was good to get different ideas

“to see where we’re going right and wrong. It’s good to see children caring about the building and taking an interest in its future.”

Architect Sue Williams said

“when the new building is here, the children who use it will feel as though it is their building and will take ownership of it and respect it. This will hopefully stop vandalism. We need to get ideas that the children like and be realistic about the changes that can be made. We have to be very careful about the building as it’s near to the cemetery, which is historically important. It’s important that the new building blends in with it and that the whole community is happy about the plans. One of the aims of the design is to get a connection between the inside and the outside, a balance between security and accessibility.”

The project group have now looked at the results of the consultation so far. Clare Humberstone gave us the poster as a way of feeding back to the children and community the results so far. It looks likely that it will be a re-furbishment or extension of the present facility. Voluntary consultation by members of the Users Group is ongoing to make sure as many peoples’ ideas are considered as possible. A movement study is being done, charting use and relationship of the indoor and outdoor environment. Children are drawing pictures of where they think a possible new slide should be and how to make the place more homely. They are using cameras and video to explore the site at their eye level. They are looking at where and what shape the windows should be in greater detail. The momentum is good and the Council, staff team and Users Group are working in a focussed way to improve this vital community resource.

For more information or to get involved, contact Lisa Swift on 07855 726 653.