Playparks

StarVanMan · Post by **StarVanMan** » 20 May 2008, 22:31

I've made a couple of trips lately with my toddler to the playpark in the Meadows. If you don't know it, or anything about these sort of places, it's fab.

Really fab.

It's quite a contrast with two parks in my patch of Porty, basically along the prom. I am wondering if we are due an upgrade.

Now, I know we have the beach, and we have the prom too. Both great places. But they do not offer the same as type of play as the latest style of parks. Even the modest little park up at Musselburgh harbour is so much better than ours. Does anyone know if the Council has a set of planned upgrades it is working through? How do I get hold of a copy?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 20 May 2008, 22:41

Try this:

Play Areas
Services for Communities, Business Centre C.3, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh
EH8 8BG
Telephone: 0131 529 7977
E-mail: playareas@edinburgh.gov.uk
Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday, 8.30am - 5pm. Friday, 8.30am - 3.40pm

Ron Tulloch was the guy in charge the last time I had dealings with them. Let us know how you get on.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 11 Mar 2009, 23:22

Bob Jefferson wrote:Let us know how you get on.

I wonder how he did get on. I walked past the park in the Mount Lodge Place locus today and there appeared to be a dead cat there. Presumably not a standard feature of local parks.

StarVanMan · Post by **StarVanMan** » 12 Mar 2009, 00:24

I got in touch with the Council last summer and they said "there is no program to upgrade play areas city wide" and to ring... Ron Tulloch. Sounds like its could be done on a first come first served basis?? but I confess I didnt follow it up with Ron.

I did however ask for improvements to the prom's parks as part of the consultation on the Edinburgh seafront plans - my suggestions were incorporated in the final version of the plan, though I dont know what significance that has.

Cats have to die somewhere, I guess.

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 12 Mar 2009, 00:35

StarVanMan wrote:Cats have to die somewhere, I guess.

True but this is the 9th time that cat has died here and it is getting annoying.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 12 Mar 2009, 00:42

I reckon The cat was dead before it ended up in the park - discarded by a pedant who had previously been using it as a crude measuring device.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 12 Mar 2009, 09:49

StarVanMan wrote:I got in touch with the Council last summer and they said "there is no program to upgrade play areas city wide" and to ring... Ron Tulloch.

Bob and I had dealings with Ron Tulloch a few years back and he was really very helpful. Unfortunately, despite a lot of effort on our part nothing came of it which I'm sure wasn't directly Ron's fault. You should try him again - it doesn't do any harm to remind him (or whoever is in charge)!

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 12 Mar 2009, 09:52

Porty wrote:I reckon The cat was dead before it ended up in the park - discarded by a pedant who had previously been using it as a crude measuring device.

I've got a book entitled "101 uses for a Dead Cat" but that would be going off topic

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 12 Mar 2009, 10:34

What number is "you can write a book about them?"

seashell · Post by **seashell** » 13 Mar 2009, 11:07

StarVanMan wrote:I've made a couple of trips lately with my toddler to the playpark in the Meadows. If you don't know it, or anything about these sort of places, it's fab. Really fab. It's quite a contrast with two parks in my patch of Porty, basically along the prom. I am wondering if we are due an upgrade.

Now, I know we have the beach, and we have the prom too. Both great places. But they do not offer the same as type of play as the latest style of parks. Even the modest little park up at Musselburgh harbour is so much better than ours. Does anyone know if the Council has a set of planned upgrades it is working through? How do I get hold of a copy?

If you can down to Musselburgh, I'd recommend you take a look at the play parks on Shire Hough (the bit of the River Esk just across from Eskview Terrace) There is a park for younger kids and one for older kids, with an enclosed area for ball games. Looks terrific.

StarVanMan · Post by **StarVanMan** » 14 Mar 2009, 01:12

That Musselburgh park is good. I must get on to Ron. I find it really strange the council doesnt have a plan to upgrade parks across the city. On what basis does it happen?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 14 Mar 2009, 09:23

I think it helps to approach the Council as part of a group rather than as an individual. If you can demonstrate that your request for an upgrade reflects the aspirations of a number of local families then it puts a bit more pressure on them to do something.

We were successful in replacing the play equipment in Rosefield Park a few years ago and it helped that we were able to direct our appeal via the local residents association, which I co-chaired at the time. You could get a petition together, you could go along to the next Community Council meeting to raise the issue or ask a member to raise it on your behalf. You could email your local councillors or go along to their surgeries to try to enlist their support.

The playparks on the Prom are very well used, both by local children and visitors to Portobello so I agree that they should be of a high standard.

Ron is a very affable guy and I'm sure a direct approach would help. Ask if he is willing to meet you, and perhaps one or two other parents, for a site visit. Let us know how you get on.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 14 Mar 2009, 09:40

How does the play park in Mount Lodge Place compare to other play areas in Porty?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 14 Mar 2009, 10:04

Epykat wrote:Bob and I had dealings with Ron Tulloch a few years back and he was really very helpful. Unfortunately, despite a lot of effort on our part nothing came of it which I'm sure wasn't directly Ron's fault.

I had forgotten about that. It was four years ago and I found the thread relating to it:

Playground provision in Portobello

Didn't we attempt to hold a meeting in the library to take it further and only 3 or 4 people turned up? Lots of people wanted better facilities but hardly anyone was actually prepared to get involved beyond filling in a form. Maybe we should have persevered with it but I had a lot of other projects on the go at the time and I was disheartened by the lack of response.

Ideally, what you need is for a group of parents to take ownership of each of the playparks and assume some responsibility.

When my kids were younger I used to regularly remove litter from the playpark in Rosefield and some of us even washed down the equipment, removed graffiti and painted the benches. Quite simply, it was our park and we wanted to help look after it.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 14 Mar 2009, 11:25

Bob Jefferson wrote:
Epykat wrote:Bob and I had dealings with Ron Tulloch a few years back and he was really very helpful. Unfortunately, despite a lot of effort on our part nothing came of it which I'm sure wasn't directly Ron's fault.
I had forgotten about that.

I think the main problem at that time wasn't so much playparks for small children it was some kind of play facility for older (Secondary school) kids since we identified that although they might be young teenagers, they still wanted to 'play' and burn off some energy. If I remember rightly it was at the time the Quarry playpark was being built and Ron was all for incorporating something for older children but didn't have the money.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 14 Mar 2009, 11:31

I was keen at the time, still am, to get a football/basketball arena somewhere in Portobello. The problem of course is that no-one wants a facility aimed at teenagers in their backyard.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 14 Mar 2009, 12:32

Bob Jefferson wrote:I was keen at the time, still am, to get a football/basketball arena somewhere in Portobello. The problem of course is that no-one wants a facility aimed at teenagers in their backyard.

I would be all for one in Porty. There is within the grounds of Fort House in Leith, that attracts teenagers from all around the local area and there is very little problem caused. There is a similar one near Tolbooth Wynd is Leith that is popular aswell, I know there is very little problems with that one as I work directly with the local neighbourhood action unit at Leith polis and the community safety team at NELO.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 14 Mar 2009, 13:01

Ah, The Fort. That's the tower block that residents recently voted to demolish, isn't it?

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 14 Mar 2009, 13:34

Marya wrote:Ah, The Fort. That's the tower block that residents recently voted to demolish, isn't it?

Yes it is being demolished along with a whole host of other Multey storey blocks throughout the city, some have already been brought down, more are to follow.

There are now 10 staff who need to be re-deployed over the next two years. Wonder where they will end up.

Getting back to play parks........The multi use court thing within Fort House is built on where Cannon Wynd used to stand until it was demolished. Cannon Wynd was about a dozen flats built within the grounds of Fort House.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 14 Mar 2009, 13:46

What I like about the multi-use courts is that they are pretty much indestructible. There is one along at Granton that has been there for a number of years and still looks like it's brand new. They seem to be well-used and appreciated by a wide age-group, they don't cost an enormous amount of money and they appear to be low maintenance.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 14 Mar 2009, 13:49

Bob Jefferson wrote:What I like about the multi-use courts is that they are pretty much indestructible. There is one along at Granton that has been there for a number of years and still looks like it's brand new. They seem to be well-used and appreciated by a wide age-group, they don't cost an enormous amount of money and they appear to be low maintenance.

Any locations you think one could be put in Portobello "Bob Jefferson"?

Just imagine if there plans for one in Porty, all those NIMBYS coming out of the closet......I think another campaign group might end up being formed against such plans....ROFL.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 14 Mar 2009, 13:53

Here is a stolen picture of a muga, the same design as the two I have been mentioning.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 14 Mar 2009, 13:55

If anyone wanted to progress the muga idea, a starting step could be getting the Polis along with their big mobile fitbaw pitch, see how the local youth respond to such a facility.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 14 Mar 2009, 13:55

I have previously suggested the site of the old tennis courts in Rosefield Park though the ground may be a bit soft there. Joppa Quarry Park perhaps?

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 14 Mar 2009, 14:00

BeachBum wrote:If anyone wanted to progress the muga idea, a starting step could be getting the Polis along with their big mobile fitbaw pitch, see how the local youth respond to such a facility.

You mean to see if kids liked football? If that's all you want to test then wander along to the pits.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 14 Mar 2009, 14:01

Bob Jefferson wrote:I have previously suggested the site of the old tennis courts in Rosefield Park though the ground may be a bit soft there. Joppa Quarry Park perhaps?

Or just incorporate it into the new High School on Portobello Park?

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 14 Mar 2009, 14:04

Marya wrote:
Bob Jefferson wrote:I have previously suggested the site of the old tennis courts in Rosefield Park though the ground may be a bit soft there. Joppa Quarry Park perhaps?
Or just incorporate it into the new High School on Portobello Park?

Will the school grounds be open for local youths and local adults to access freely at any time?

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 14 Mar 2009, 14:08

BeachBum wrote:
Marya wrote: Or just incorporate it into the new High School on Portobello Park?
Will the school grounds be open for local youths and local adults to access freely at any time?

Should be easy enough for it to be built adjacent to the school, but not part of a secure area. There's already been suggestions of shared school sport facilities that could be used by the community i.e. Portobello Thistle.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 14 Mar 2009, 14:13

Marya wrote:
Bob Jefferson wrote:I have previously suggested the site of the old tennis courts in Rosefield Park though the ground may be a bit soft there. Joppa Quarry Park perhaps?
Or just incorporate it into the new High School on Portobello Park?

I thought about that. I'm not sure that a facility of this type would be considered suitable as part of the school's sports provision and the site is pretty tight as it is and may not provide space for add-ons like this. Could it form part of the outdoor social space provision?

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 14 Mar 2009, 17:30

I've seen the one at The Fort, looked interesting, far better than the brick maze with cannon in the middle that we had to play in when I lived in that area.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 15 Mar 2009, 14:56

Not sure portobello park will be. More of a leisure destination than it is now once the school is there. A logicak location would be the new park promised on part of the vacated school site. A new well equipped play area would be a good legacy.

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Playparks

Playparks

Re: Playparks