Creatively designed for Adventure!

26 August 2009

Children in Liverpool are being encouraged to be adventurous in play with the launch of three new play projects, worth £1 million, which have been designed and project managed by staff at 2020 Liverpool and 2020 Knowsley on behalf of Liverpool City Council.

The three projects, at Mill Road, Mab Lane and Walton Hall Park, have been funded through the Big Lottery Fund, as part of the "Planning for Play" programme which aims to increase play opportunities for children aged 8-12 years. 

At Mill Road, the brief was to create a natural play space without any formal play equipment.  So a sensory garden, a vegetable plot and an area for ball games has been made using mounding and planting.  This is the first of its kind in Liverpool, and young people themselves played a central role in the project, mucking in to transform local wasteland into a natural playground.

At Mab Lane, an existing building was refurbished to provide more natural light and ventilation, new décor and a new entrance as well as creating a new adventure play structure which has been designed specifically for the site, which is to be evolved in the future by the children with the aid of their play workers.

A similar adventure play structure has been created at Walton Hall Park next to the sports centre, together with a new building providing offices and storage space.

The three play areas were opened on the same day in early August, in three separate celebration events.  Young football star Paige Williams, 14, who plays for England and Everton girls team, joined children for the launch at each of the three sites.

"The launch of these three new projects is great news for Liverpool, placing invaluable play resources at the heart of our communities," says the city council's executive member for safer, stronger communities, Councillor Marilyn Fielding.  "We're committed to providing children in every part of the city with high quality play facilities.  Well planned and well supported playgrounds help improve children's well being, promote healthy living and encourage social interaction."

Staff from both 2020 Liverpool and 2020 Knowsley worked on the projects, providing project management, landscape architecture, CDM, structural and Mechanical and Electrical services.  Colleagues from Mouchel's Ellesmere Port office also got involved.  

"The client had a very clear view of what they wanted," says project manager Mohammed Altaf.  "With excellent cooperation between 2020 Liverpool, 2020 Knowsley and the client and contractors, we were able to produce the desired result."