Know A Playground At Risk Of Becoming The Next ‘Budget Cut Failure’ Headline?

Struggling with outdoor play equipment in a state of disrepair and fearing the potentially resultant bad press are just some of the challenges local authorities are facing due to harsh budget cuts. On the surface it may seem too expensive an issue to remedy, but as revealed below, there are several ways new amenities can be delivered to local communities on even the tightest of budgets.

Read on to find answers to the following questions:

• Why Playgrounds Are Essential For Happy And Healthy Local Communities
• How To Choose A Playground That Will Provide The Best Long-Term Investment
• How To Deliver Inclusivity, Wellbeing, And Accessibility On Any Budget
• How To Get More From The Budget For A New Playground Installation

Local councils have been experiencing some negative PR regarding playground maintenance recently, as Play England and The Guardian draw attention to severe funding cut issues. As is often the case, the media have applied a broad stroke to what is in reality a more complex and varied matter – for instance, the £350 million budget reduction they cited actually affects a large canvas of areas disproportionately, and for a multitude of reasons.

Despite the exaggerated click-bait nature of the headlines, at its heart the story does highlight a sincere and increasing concern among local authorities and communities regarding a decline in the appearance, and continuing functionality, of outdoor play equipment in our public spaces.

While a minority of playgrounds may be in a terrible state of disrepair, it only takes a couple of damaged items on an otherwise well-maintained site to instigate a broken window effect and rapidly escalate the issue, either for real, or imagined.

Whether genuine, or merely perceived, both situations are a problem as communities tend to shy away from using parks that look like they might be areas of crime. The National Study of Playgrounds, a report on the impact play environments have on health and social behaviour, found that ‘for every 1% increase in poverty level, there were 5% fewer visitors to playgrounds due to safety concerns’.

‘People like to visit spaces that feel good to them, especially where they are welcome and cared for,’ they explain, ‘well designed spaces attract the most people, but having playgrounds close to home encourages repeat visits’. The report stresses just how important these areas are to the public, with ‘people walking to a playground being 6x more likely to visit weekly than those driving’.

Their research shows just how fundamentally significant these areas are to our communities, as ‘playgrounds serve more people of all ages, abilities, genders, and demographics than almost any other public space amenity’.

Another point, stating that ‘people living within ½ mile of a playground are 5x more likely to visit weekly’ really underscores how crucial these amenities are to local communities – a stark reminder of the Society Of Local Council Clerks’ own findings that ‘1 in 8 UK households without a garden rely on public play areas for outdoor play and exercise’.

Families Increasing Demand For Public Facilities

Consumer reports by Mintel state that since the COVID lockdowns families have prioritised spending time together more than ever. There is a ‘significant pent-up demand from parents and families to enjoy new experiences and make up for ‘lost fun’ together’ and ‘celebrate the increased sense of closeness that many families have felt as they have spent more time together in recent years’.

Findings of the report continue by revealing that 36% of parents consider exercise a ‘higher priority now than before the pandemic’ and that ‘just 27% of children are engaging in exercise or sport in their free time’, which coupled with the cost-of-living crisis, attests to the need for easily accessible and well-maintained outdoor public play areas.

Why Playgrounds Are Essential For Happy & Healthy Local Communities

Send the local area a message that you care – the impressive visual impact of a well-designed playground can communicate an authority’s priorities towards children, families and communities much more than other initiatives which may be beneficial, but abstract in nature.

• Wellbeing: Outdoor play equipment provides physical and mental health benefits to children, an issue increasingly on parent’s minds (36%, Mintel). As many schools struggle with budgets for new play areas, more and more children depend on access to parks for their creative play.
• Tourism: The cost-of-living crisis has resulted in more families (73%, Cofton) shunning trips abroad by planning domestic holidays or ‘staycations’, which brings with it a greater appreciation for well-maintained, free public spaces.
• Community: Avoid the broken window effect in which there is either an escalation of crime, or the perception of such, due to a public space being in a state of disrepair.
• Green: Provide the community with an environmentally conscious playground by installing timber-based outdoor play equipment from a company dedicated to sustainability.

More than ever, councils are feeling the pressures of limited funding constraints, but Creative Play outdoor play experts pride themselves on their specialist knowledge and ability to guide partners to the best set-up for their budget and needs.

We can help you work out ways to deliver new, high-quality outdoor play equipment to your community on any budget.

Every child deserves the opportunity to play, so let’s make it happen!

Interested in how a playground can benefit your local community?

Discover How To Choose A Playground That Will Provide The Best Long-Term Investment

Also of Interest:

Learn how to attract more families to a play area by being inclusive

Discover top tips on how to cut costs on a new playground installation