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Ringwood Road, Newtown, Poole
Young people's consultation, 2009
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15th June |
Branksome Heath Middle School Whole school assembly; lunchtime drop-in session to get initial ideas from those interested. Questionnaires left for distribution to the whole school. |
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15th June |
Visit to the play area (promoted in assembly) |
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17th June |
Branksome Heath Middle School Council meeting to make contact with representatives |
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19th June |
Questionnaires collected - response analysis; second lunchtime drop-in session |
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1st July |
School Council meeting |
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6th Aug |
Informal site visit with Landscape Architect [findings] |
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10th Aug |
No comments/requests received from local residents since door-to-door leaflet distribution in July |
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Follow-up: |
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13th Aug |
Revisited play area to share information and progress |
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16th Oct |
Branksome Heath School Assembly with plans for the improved play area |
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Findings from the park visit Monday 15th June 2009, 3:30pm – 5:30pm 7 boys aged 9-14yrs, 2 girls aged 13yrs Haskells Rec is the park visited most frequently by all but one of the young people we spoke to. The majority also named it as their favourite park, although Branksome Rec and Disney Land were also mentioned. People in the park would like to keep a lot of it as it is but want to make the swings higher, and paint it all. The open space was very popular but it was mentioned that many people did not clear up their dog waste. It was suggested the benches should be turned to face the baby swings as they currently face the older aged equipment. Suggested changes to the park include the following:
Dog waste issues – dog walkers put dog waste in the bin by play area and when full older youths throw bags around – and at children! Dog waste bin needed at Haskells Road entrance Broken glass often a problem on the concrete steps and rarely removed Parent would prefer the fences area is extended rather than installing equipment outside the fence Request remove bucking thing, not used by appropriate age group, too uncomfortable, doesn’t do anything (older children stand & jump on it to break it) Request young children/older children divide Request young family area – activity boards, wooden train (ref Poole Park), covered area to sit Suggest gates are locked at night Higher monkey bars (monkey bars are well used here) High swings (i.e. seats are too low) Climbing wall (ref Branksome Rec) Long slide very popular Youth Shelter Suggestion by some parents that this play area is used by the under 10s; older children tend to go to other play areas Sandpit Planting/landscaping around the field would be nice
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Branksome Heath Middle School Questionnaire Responses asking questions about Alexandra Park, Haskells Recreation Ground & Uppleby Road play areas: By marking out a square mile distance from each of the 3 play areas it became clear that the majority of 8-13 year olds living close to these parks would attend Branksome Heath Middle School. Questionnaires were left for distribution and collected a week later; 192 had been completed. 56% of respondents are female and 44% male. Over 70% of respondents live in the BH12 postcode. The age range (8-12 yrs) breaks down as follows:
Findings: The top 3 parks visited most by pupils were:
Uppleby was named by just 4% of pupils as the park that they visited most. The top 3 favourite place to play were:
8% of pupils named Alexandra Park as their favourite park and only 2% named Uppleby. Question 6 asked the pupils to indicate which activity they prefer while playing:
The remainder of the questionnaire divided to ask pupils specifically about what they would change and/or keep in each park individually. 120 respondents made suggestions for Haskells Rec Play Area. Things that 8-12 yr olds would like to keep in the park: “This is a very good park for young and old” (M, aged 12) “It has so many fun things to do and about 20 kids go there every day” (F, aged 11) “I think that you should keep this park and everything in it but just add on to it” (F, aged 12) F = female M = male The Swings were mentioned the most (almost 40% of pupils) as something the pupils would like to keep. The following list indicates the other things that pupils expressed a desire to keep. Numbers in brackets indicate the number of times it was mentioned.
Things that 8-12’s would like to change in the park: “Keep the swings and climbing frame but repaint them both. Keep the field for running” (F, aged 11) “Add in more exciting things because it is quite boring. Maybe have a little picnic section” (F, aged 11) “Make it safer, no drugs, no alcohol, and more fun and new inventions!” (F, aged 12) “Haskells Rec really needs changing the play things there are old. I think we could put new equipment in then more people might play there” (F, aged 11) Again better swings (higher) were the change that most respondents said they would like to make (mentioned by 23 respondents). Other suggestions for change included:
Additions to the park: “The grass at the bottom change that to the metal steel cage for football” (M, aged 12) “Multi sports area with a goal and basketball net” (M, aged 9) “A very high closed swirly slide with lots of obstacles to get to it. Plus a zip wire, a tyre swing, a witches hat, balancing beams and a zip wire” (F, aged 10) Only two pieces of equipment were mentioned more than 5 times as additional pieces of equipment young people would like to see added to the park - a roundabout and a zip wire. The following suggestions were mentioned fewer than 5 times:
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Informal site visit 6th August 2009 An hour in the play area with the Landscape Architect (other than those mentioned below, no other users were seen anywhere in the rec.) Dull Thursday morning (10.30). The play area was locked pending removal of a quantity of broken glass (vodka & other bottles) Boy, aged 12 yrs:
Two girls, both aged 13 yrs:
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