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Summary of visit to Canford Heath Guides

The visit to Canford Heath Guides enabled us to consult 18 girls in the 11 – 16yrs age range.

The group feel that the site would benefit from having some natural play equipment round the edge of the site, and possibly some exercise equipment.

They feel that the play area should be fenced off due to problems with dogs. They would like the central play area to include swings similar to the ones at Hamworthy Park (hexagonal shape) and the climbing frame to be expanded.  They think it would be fun to paint it in neon colours to make it different to standard play equipment - they suggest purples and oranges.

Summary of the play area visit

We met with only 3 males aged 11 – 14 yrs during our time at the play area.  They claim that the site is not well used but thought it may be with some exciting equipment added. 

They feel something should be put on ‘telly tubby hill' (a mound on the site) and more swings should be added.  A rebound wall was suggested as a good idea. They also voiced concerns that people did not keep their dogs on leads and this caused problems in the park.

The location of the bins is thought to lead to litter problems, and the lack of benches needs addressing.

Haymoor Middle School

213 questionnaires were returned by Haymoor Middle School - 48% from male pupils and 52% females.  There ages were spread as shown in the graph below:.

86% of those responding live in the BH17 postcode, 14% from BH12, BH15 and BH18.

Halstock Crescent was named as the park that was visited most (48 respondents), followed by Sherborn Crescent (36 respondents).  Only 8 respondents named Beamish Road as the park they visited most.

Poole Park was named as respondent's favourite park, followed by Whitecliff and Halstock Crescent.  The Heath and Beach were also named as favourite places to play, as well as several other parks.

Favoured play activities scored as follows:

1. Hanging out
2. Climbing
3. Swinging
4. Spinning
5. Rocking
6. Competition
7. Jumping
8. Sliding
9. Balancing

77 participants gave feedback on Beamish Road Play Park via the questionnaire.

Things to keep in the park:

50 respondents mentioned the swings as the piece of equipment they would most like to keep in the park.  Other items are:

• Climbing frame (20)

• Monkey bars (8)

• Nothing (8)

• Slide (5)

• Everything (3)

• Baby swings (2)

• Grass (2)

• Tunnels (2)

• Fields (2)

• Fireman’s pole (1)

• Gates (1)

• Play park (1)

Things to change in the park:

 “Use space in this park for better things” (Female, 10)

The piece of equipment that was named most as the piece of equipment that young people would like to change was the ‘Saddle thing’ (a variety of other names were used to describe it by 27 respondents).

Other changes were requested on the followings:

• Slide (17)

• Everything (17)

• Climbing area (12)

• More swings (9)

• Monkey bars (5)

• Add more things (5)

• Tunnels (3)

• Paint (2)

• Tarmac / graffiti (1)

Additions to the park:

“Make a low tree house but also add a lower one for little kids. Split the sections and do one side toddlers & children, then the other side for young teenagers – e.g. 10’s-13’s” (Female, 11)

Pupils made relatively few requests for additions to this play area;

• Better slide (4)

• Goal posts (3)

• CCTV (3)

• Get rid of the graffiti (3)

• Skate ramps (2)

• Roundabout (2)

• Make it no smoking (1)

• Shelter (1)

• Benches (1)

• Maze (1)

• Boating lake (1)

• Climbing wall (1)