Oakdale Community Park

Darby's Lane, Oakdale, Poole

Young people & resident's consultation, 2009

25th Jun	First visit to the park [findings]
1st Jul	Oakdale South Middle School Council meeting
9th Jul	Second park visit
9th Jul	1st Oakdale Brownies
9th Jul	S.J. Dance Studio – Energy Challenge group
13th Jul	Oakdale South Middle School Council meeting for feedback [report]
12th Aug	Revisited the park to share information, progress and plans for play Report to follow
10th Aug	Comments/requests received from local residents since door-to-door leaflet distribution in July
Follow-up:
29th Aug	ORCA car boot sale with overall park landscaping proposals
15th Oct	1st Oakdale Brownies, revisit with plans


The wider project, which involves landscaping and access improvements to the park, is under discussion with ORCA (Oakdale Residents Community Association). Findings from the park and other visits 10 boys aged 8-16 yrs, 22 girls aged 6-13 yrs in the park (findings from other visits incorporated here) 14 members of Oakdale South Middle School council Poole Park, Whitecliff and St George’s Field are the parks that young people named as the ones they visited the most. They are also the most popular choices for favourite parks that young people had been to. Things that 8 – 13’s would like to keep in the park: Obviously this choice in terms of play equipment is limited to the rebound wall, but overall: Rebound wall Car boot sales Space for dog walking Grass bumps for going down on bikes (two parents reported that this park has for many years been used by children learning to ride bikes because of the expanse of grass - and the bumps have always been popular) Additions to the park: During park visits and the initial school council meeting young people suggested a good range of equipment for the park, including: Cricket nets (cricket seems to be growing in popularity here and elsewhere) Bucket/basket swings (mentioned several times) / tyre swings Ariel runway Kompan Supernova Tennis court Climbing unit/big climbing frame (several requests) Climbing boulders Rock climbing wall (several requests) Roundabout Shelter from rain Exercise equipment (outdoor gym) Spiralling slide Sand pit Fireman’s pole Assault course / Adventure trail (several requests) Zip wire (several requests) Skate ramps Places to sit Low ropes courses Natural play stuff Cone Climber (several requests) Springies (Jasmine, 7 yrs) Spinning Bowl (ref St George’s) Roundabout – because there isn’t one at St George’s, one like in Poole Park Seesaw (proper one, for 4 children to use) Something to climb on, with monkey bars, long slide Really high slide, wide & twisty Big springy (like Branksome Rec) Rodeo Board (ref Hamworthy Park) Colourful fence around play area, wooden, cut out designs to make it nice to look at Shelter in the corner Cricket nets Exercise equipment (ref Poole Park) Themed play area a popular idea (came from the school council) Natural play area suggested (no prompting) Spinning Seesaw (ref Hamworthy Park) Monkey Bars Springy Boards (ref Alexandra Park) Drinking Fountain Many mentioned several pieces of equipment from their 3 most visited and favourite parks. It was also suggested on several occasions that the play area should be fenced off due to the large numbers of dogs exercised in the park. Several of the older young people asked if the Mobile Youth Van could visit more often. Oakdale South Middle School Council At the School Council meeting on the 13^th July we explored the ideas above and worked to come up with more specific ideas. The consensus reached: The play area should be fenced off but with natural railing not metal ones as they make them feel that they are "in a prison" Natural play is favoured, with low rope challenges Lots of climbing things (walls / boulders / frames) The play area could be themed – the emergency services - fire / ambulance was a popular suggestion which takes a lead from Whitecliff play area (which celebrates the air ambulance service) and reflects the proximity of the new fire station (Holes Bay) and the new combined fire/police/ambulance control centre in Wimborne Road Tyre swings and bucket swings should be included Some form of shelter should be included (maybe a tree house) - perhaps in the corner of the play area Exercise equipment, benches and flowers should be spread around the rest of the park Council members approved the plans to move and enlarge some entrances and add others School Council members agreed to work with us again in September to look at the next stages of planning.
Comments/requests received from local residents since door-to-door leaflet distribution Don’t take away the goal end – his favourite outdoor activity (11 yrs) Buddy swing ASB concerns - picnic bench newly installed where play area planned is already causing problems A real roundabout (ref the old one at Ham Park, Adastral Road) Buddy swing (ref Kingston Road & Whitecliff) Climbing wall (ref Kingston Road as part of climbing frame) Spiral slide (ref Gus Gorillas) Obstacle course (ref St Georges Field but also like the one at Kingston Road) A traditional seesaw (the seat should go really high) Rocker animal (for 4 children, ref Corfe Mullen)) Rope play house (ref the old metal one at Whitecliff & Ham Park, similar) Talk tubes (ref Poole Park) Telescope & periscope (ref Whitecliff play boats, Poole Park train)