Atwell Farm Presentation

Case Study Jubilee Park Play Area

Client:

Value:

Havant Borough Council

£100,000

Start Date 10th June 2022

Completion Date: July 2022

Contact:

Title

Mathew Tyler

Parks Officer

email

matthew.tyler@havant.gov.uk Phone

Jubilee Park is situated in the heart of Waterlooville, Hants, and is a well-used and loved playing field. The playing fields are often used for community events and are also home to a MUGA, Skate Park and numerous sports clubs such as Bowls and Cricket. Havant Borough Council has previously preferred to use metal play equipment for their play spaces due to past experiences using timber. However, in 2021 eibe Play arranged site visits of three play spaces around Fareham with the Park Officers for Havant Borough Council. Fareham Borough Council installed these play spaces over two years, which previously had the same opinion. All three of these destinations play spaces have been

a great success and changed Fareham Borough Councils’ mindset on the quality and durability of timber play equipment. After visiting these play areas with eibe Play and speaking to the council members from Fareham Borough Council, the council saw the quality. It felt the durability was suitable for both parties to feel confident enough for eibe Play to tender for any of their play area refurbishment schemes. A few months passed, and then eibe Play received the tender paperwork for the exciting redevelopment of the Jubilee Park Play Area. We were highly excited to tender for this scheme, and after a site visit, to better understand the requirements and the playing space as a whole, eibe Play started the design stage of the tender submission. We felt this play area, especially the local community, deserved a WOW factor play area to fit in with the destination feel for the rest of the park. This was at the forefront of our minds with the initial design work. We also thought that the play area needed to represent elements of the nature found around the park, which would help with the theme of the play area and educate the local children. However, this can be seen

all around the play area, with the theming within the wet pour surface. The play area also needed to be inclusive and include play equipment that children of all abilities can use. The play equipment eibe Play has chosen for this play space included elements designed for reasonable access for all users; however, it also allowed all children to play together without being singled out. This can be seen in particular with the inclusion of the Inclusive Floor Roundabout and the Play Unit Lauren which has an accessible ramp leading up to the main platform, surrounded by play panels. Another critical factor when designing any play space is accessibility for all users. Therefore, we have created all the play equipment accessible via a hard-standing surface. Which also helps the equipment to be used all year round. In February 2022, eibe Play was excited to hear the news that we had been awarded the contract for the refurbishment of Jubilee Park Play Area. The work commenced in April 2022, with a predicted finish date of the May bank holiday weekend. With much hard work, we managed to meet this deadline, where

the play area was opened to many excited children keen to use the great new play equipment the play space had to offer. eibe Play was keen to support the council and the Friends of the Park group to create a grand opening worthy of this great new play space. Therefore, eibe Play donated balloons, ribbons, bunting and goodie bags for the first children to use the play area. Eibe Play is looking forward to a fantastic working relationship with Havant Borough Council to ensure the play space is a success and well-loved by the local community for years to come.

Attwell Farm Play Area / 58

Attwell Farm Play Area / 59