Playgrounds
Maidstone council is working to improve play areas in the
borough.
The 2004 - 2008 Play for Today strategy is an exciting
development which aims to ensure that all residents are within a 15
minutes walk of a play area. This is to help promote
outdoor play and healthier lifestyles for children of all ages with
a particular emphasis on providing facilities for teenagers.
The Green Space Strategy Advisory Committee is responsible for
the Play for Today initiative.
Over the four year period we have refurbished and
developed many of the existing play areas as well as inherited and
developed new ones.
Recent play area improvements include Cobtree Manor Park
Play Area, School Lane Play Area in Mote Park, the
Natural Play Area in Mote Park, Arundel Street, Giddyhorn
Lane, Foley Park (East Ward) and Stevenswood (Shepway South); as
well as the ever popular Mote Adventure Zone at Mote Park.
Work is now being undertaken to identify which play areas
require further improvements from 2013 to 2022 with a review of the
strategy.
Shepway Green Play Area, Cumberland Avenue, Shepway - 2013
Brillant news! The Cabinet Member for Leisure and
Community Services, Cllr John A Wilson, has allocated £125,000 to
upgrade the children's play area on Shepway Green and provide new
youth equipment for young people.
A survey was carried out during November and December
2012 with nearly 250 local children and parents to help
shape the design stage of the play spaces. The winning
contractor has been agreed as Wicksteed Play Ltd.
The winning design for the play area can be found
here.
We will be aiming to install the new equipment in time for the
school summer holidays 2013.
Brand new bespoke play area at Cobtree Manor Park -
2012/13
About the Project:
We are very excited to announce the development of a
fantastic, brand new, large scale play area for Cobtree
Manor Park on Fostal Road as instructed by the Cobtree Committee
costing £315,000!
In partnership with playground company Eibe, a bespoke play area
design based on the history of the private zoo that was once
kept on the estate has been developed. To see the
designers concept drawings for the new play area look at the links
below.
Phase One
Phase One
Phase One
Phase Two
Phase Two
Phase Two
Phase Two
The play area is now open!
The play equipment was built in two stages. The first
stage, which was completed in time for the school summer
hoildays in 2012, featured the installation of outlining areas
of play equipment including a cableway and large horizontal rope
swing. The second stage is the new main bespoke
play area linked to the cafe featuring 7 metre high towers,
walkways and a tunnel slide. The second phase was completed at
the begining of May 2013.
New Play Area in Mote Park - June 2012 - Part of the larger
Mote Park Improvements Project
We are delighted to announce the new play area aimed at
enhancing the play development of younger children in Mote
Park is open! The play area, located at the School Lane
entrance to the park, features a new mutiplay unit, balance and
wobbly beams, roundabout, swings and talk tubes. The
new equipment also include elements that allow for a more
inclusive play experience for all children with the roundabout
flush to the safety surfacing and a bucket swing
available.
With a new picnic area included and improved car parking this is
a great location to come for a picnic with the family and take a
stroll into the Park.
Playbuilder 2010-11 - Mote Park Natural Play Area
As part of the national Playbuilder Programme MBC was
awarded £50,000 to develop a brand new natural play space for Mote
Park aimed at the 8 to 15 age group. A consultation was
carried out in July 2010 with local young people between the ages
of 8 to 15 to find out what type of play activities young people
want in the new space.
From that work a final design was developed by Kompan Play
Limited, which you can view here. The play area
was opened in May 2011.
Access to the Natural Play Area is via the entrance
into Mote Park to the right of the Willington
Street Park & Ride entrance. From here you follow the
road down to a crossroad, turn left, follow the road to the high
wall and turn right, follow the path into the woodland and the play
area is just over 100m up the path on the right.
Big Lottery Children's Play Programme
For 2008-2011 Maidstone Borough Council secured a bid of
£274,141 from the Big Lottery for four new schemes in the
borough. These are:
- Park Wood Recreation Ground Play Area Scheme
- Upper Fulling Pits Play Area Scheme (Vinter's Park)
- Mangravet Floodlighting scheme
- Clare Park (Fant)
These play areas have now been installed. As part of the
Big Lottery funding Youth Involvement Work was carried out at
Park Wood, Clare Park and Mangravet.
Upper Fulling Pits
2009-10
For 2009/10 we improved the play area at Arundel Street in
North Ward. A localised consultation was carried out with
surveys being posted to residents and discussions with local Ward
Councillors. Through the results of the consultation a design
brief was given to our Play Partner HAGS Play Ltd, for them to
complete a design for the refurbishment.
See
the final design here.
Find your nearest play
area.
Find out
about our play area consultations
Parish Play Areas
Maidstone Borough Council also strongly supports the work of the
Parish Councils and local Trusts for their Play Areas. Each
year we contribute grants to Parish Play Areas. For 2009/10
grants were awarded to: