This page contains both background
information on the Playground Project and an archive of the
progress updates.Overview - August 2007
In 2007, the Parish Council began planning to upgrade and
update the children’s play equipment that it provides and
maintains on Butt
Field. This will be
an expensive project,
and the Council has already set aside a significant sum of money
towards
it.
The PC wants to set up a small
working group to do two things:-
- to help maximise the funding available
for the
project by tapping into grants that might be available
- to ensure that the money
is spent in a way that gives greatest benefit and most fun to our
children when
they use the new facilities.
You
could
help, especially if you know what kids up to the age of 14
really enjoy (maybe
you are a young adult, a parent or even a grandparent) or you have
expertise in
obtaining grants from charities, business, government or other bodies.
Please phone
Paul
Bancroft on
(01949)
20812,
or Email him at
paulbancroft@eastbridgford.net
Summer Update - August 2008
Summer seems
like a good time for an update on plans for the play
park on Butts Field.
Following a
period of intense dialogue in May and June, with
pupils at St Peters School, the staff and Nursery
team, Mums and Toddlers, Scouts, skateboarders,
families at the Village Fete and Parish Councillors,
a Consultation Report and Design Brief was produced
by Community Consultant, John Mitchell of
Learning-Spaces.
This very
thoroughly states the need for a complete renewal of
the play space in order for it to be enjoyed by a
much broader mix of children and young people, as
well as their family and friends. To achieve this
more creative and engaging space we have joined up
with the Landscape Architect Team at
Groundwork Greater Nottingham. They are one
of 50 Groundwork Trusts, a national federation, who
are committed to improving the quality of life for local
people and delivered the Lambley play park.
The plan is
to break the park space down into age-appropriate
areas, but not age segregated, with a toddler play
area (birth to 3 years), linear play park (3 to 11
years), skate/bike adventure area (11 to 16 years)
and wild play area. Each area will comprise of
landscaping to encourage natural and creative play,
as well as appropriate equipment, selected through
further consultation with St Peters School and local
young people.
We shall
hear the outcome of the first round of funding bids
in October 2008 and if successful aim to begin
design work immediately, ideally delivering the
renewed space in Easter 2009.
Do download
the Consultation Report and Design Brief summary (6
pages) click
here or to find out more, add a suggestion,
or raise a concern, without committing yourself to
anything, please contact the
Parish
Council.
Autumn Update - October 2008
There is good news from funders, WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental Limited) who have granted East Bridgford
£48,374, towards the design and construction of a toddler play area (0-3 year olds) and linear play park (3-11 year olds). This was secured with our lead partner,
Groundwork Greater Nottingham. They will be entering a design and consultation phase with pupils at St Peter’s School, the Nursery, Mums and Toddlers Group and other interested parties in November and December 2008.
The support of all those who took part in the initial consultation phase, during May and June 2008, was critical to the success of this bid. The resulting Consultation Report and Design Brief, that was produced by Community Consultant,
John Mitchell of
Learning-Spaces, will continue to form the basis of further applications. In particularly we want to ensure that we can cater for 11-16 year olds by offering more challenging play options with a skate/bike adventure area, as well as improved seating, shelter and natural play options for all who might visit the park.
To achieve a complete renewal of the play space to be enjoyed by a much broader mix of children and young people, as well as their family and friends, we will continue to work in partnership with the Landscape Architect Team at Groundwork Greater Nottingham. They are one of 50 Groundwork Trusts, a national federation, who are committed to improving the quality of life for local people and delivered the Lambley play park.
We shall hear the outcome of the second round of funding bids in January 2009. In the mean time design work will begin with younger members of the community, during the winter.
Do download
the Consultation Report and Design Brief summary (6
pages) click here or to find out more, add a suggestion,
or raise a concern, without committing yourself to
anything, please contact the
Parish
Council.
Winter Update -
December 2008
Festive good news from the
Big Lottery Fund’s Community Spaces grant scheme means we have a commitment for a further
£48,108 for the park improvement scheme in East Bridgford. This, combined with the support of funders,
WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental Limited), who have granted us
£48,374, towards the design and construction of a toddler play area (0-3 year olds) and linear play park (3-11 year olds), ensures we have a substantial financial base for the project.
Groundwork Greater Nottingham, our landscape design team and funding partner, will be drawing up the sketch-stage proposal for the whole park in the New Year. There will be an opportunity for all to comment, particularly those parties involved in the initial consultation phase during May and June 2008 (pupils at St Peter’s School, the Nursery, Mums and Toddlers Group, Scouts and local skate boarders).
The support of all those who took part in this pre-brief consultation phase was critical to the success of these two bids. The resulting Consultation Report and Design Brief, that was produced by Community Consultant,
John Mitchell of
Learning-Spaces, will continue to be the basis of our final application for
£45,358. We particularly want to ensure that we can cater for 11-16 year olds by offering more challenging play options with a skate/bike adventure area.
To achieve the complete renewal of the play space to be enjoyed by a much broader mix of children and young people, as well as their family and friends, we will continue to work in partnership with the Landscape Architect Team at Groundwork Greater Nottingham. They are one of 50 Groundwork Trusts, a national federation, who are committed to improving the quality of life for local people.
Do download the
Consultation Report and Design Brief
or to find out more, add a suggestion, or raise a
concern, without committing yourself to anything,
please contact the
Parish
Council.
Summer Update - July 2009
It has been a hectic few months of activity concerning the renewal of the Butts Field play space, though on the ground the scene remains unchanged. We now have a formally constituted
Park Renewal Group, able to receive substantial levels of funding from public bodies. We have also tendered out the landscape design contract to three leading specialists in play design and are delighted to announce that Cracknell (
http://www.parklifelondon.com) were awarded the tender. You may have caught them in Castleford last year on
Kevin McCloud’s Big Town Plan programme on
Channel 4. They will take us forward into the next stage of producing a natural and adventurous play space.
Funding still remains the toughest challenge and on 31 July we submit what we hope will be two final bids to the Lottery and the environmental trust, Veolia, to match money already awarded from WREN. We will then wait for three months to hear the outcome, with all our fingers crossed for our
£140,000 target. We have a facilitator from the Lottery supporting us through this process and of course the firm foundations of Groundwork Greater Nottingham's contribution to the scheme. They drew up the budgets, the design framework and acted as our funding partners whilst we were getting ourselves established.
We still need your support and understanding. It may seem like a childhood or two has passed since we started but individuals have been hard at work. The tasks they have voluntarily completed include managing complex relationships with external organizations, pedantically reviewing tender details, drawing up challenging interview questions, extensive grant application submissions and answering funder queries whilst in labour! We have also been hugely motivated by the support of local young people, conventionally hard to engage, but in East Bridgford - enthusiastic, considerate and realistic - making all the paperwork and waiting worth while.
We are moving forward and during September we will have a park design to share. Finally, when we know our funding position, we will be confident of some action on the ground.
The Park Renewal Group meets every 6 weeks for two
hours. If you wish to join us or offer specialist
services please contact the
Parish
Council.
East Bridgford Park Renewal Group (Chair)
Play Space Design -October 2009
Landscape architects' Cracknell have produced their design for the
Butts Field play space.
Do take a look and join us for the Q&A session in the WI Hut on Saturday 31st October 11am-12pm.
A youth consultation event will follow at midday focusing on the design of the
youth shelter.
East Bridgford Park Renewal Group
Play Space Design -January 2010
The latest consultation documents for the
project are now available here for your information:
Consultation Schedule
Revised Design Sketch
Revised Action Programme
East Bridgford Park Renewal Group
Play Space Design -February 2010
The planning application for the Park Renewal Scheme on Butt Field is now available for comment.
You can click here to
access it and enter application number: 10/00078/FUL
