Play Streets - interested in setting one up on your road?

[bels123]

Southwark Living Streets (working with London Play & Southwark Council) are trying to find parents from 10 streets in East Dulwich that would like to close their road temporarily sometime this Summer to hold a Play Street. Play Streets are a brilliant way of getting the community together and kids out playing, having fun. Really easy to organise with the council (especially as Southwark Living Streets will provide assistance).

See attached flyer for more details - there's a meeting for anyone interested to find out more, Monday 25th Feb 7.45-9pm at the Goose Green Centre (next to St John's Church).

I'm aware of a few around the area that do this regularly, it would be great to get some more established.

[bels123]

A reminder that the meeting is tomorrow evening.

[Passiflora]

I really don't get what play streets are for? Surely that's what the school playgrounds are for and in the actual school hours i.e. children playing together and having fun during the school day?

[DuncanW]

Thanks Bels123

I will be coming along.

[KatieJ]

Passiflora

They are great as it's not just about the children (who are mainly from that street but friends etc have come too to the one I ave been to a few times) being able to play together when their paths may not cross normally, it also feels as if it brings about more of a sense of community too. Neighbours come out and talk to each other who may never have met each other before, the kids share toys and its all feels really nice and relaxed. It also reminds me of a time when we really could just play outside our own houses too. My road is far too busy but it's a really lovely thing to do.

[Passiflora]

My mistake as thought this was to close roads outside schools for these Play Streets, which I don't agree with.

[James Barber]

Play Streets legislation passed in 1936 as even back then politicians recognised that motor cars were resulting in children no longer being ablate play on the streets where they live - Play Streets typically close the road to traffic for a couple of hours on a Saturday Sunday afternoon.

[Passiflora]

All very good, but typically closing a street off to traffic on a Saturday/Sunday must involve a lot of hard work to all involved.

[uncleglen]

James Barber Wrote:

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> Play Streets legislation passed in 1936 as even

> back then politicians recognised that motor cars

> were resulting in children no longer being ablate

> play on the streets where they live - Play Streets

> typically close the road to traffic for a couple

> of hours on a Saturday Sunday afternoon.

My area must have been very poor because we cuold put a tennis 'net' (bit of rope really) across the street and play well into the 1960s.

[bels123]

Passiflora Wrote:

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> All very good, but typically closing a street off

> to traffic on a Saturday/Sunday must involve a lot

> of hard work to all involved.

The council make it very easy, simple application form and deliver the necessary barriers.

[sweetgirl]

With certain roads I don't see a problem closing it.

For example, you have a small section of landcroft road (near Harris primary) which could easily be closed without causing huge problems.

[goldilocks]

Play streets = limited frequency residential street closures. Not related to schools. Usually monthly / quarterly or similar. Groups of residents getting together to close the streets for their children to play out for a few hours. Lovely way of meeting up with neighbours and increasing community involvement.

School streets - Bessemer is the first one in Southwark. Limited hours closure of a street for the hour around school starting and ending. Street open at all other times. Intended to reduce pollution and risk of accident at drop off and pick up.

Notice these are still being mixed up so thought it might be worth clarifying.

The OP here is about Play streets - so the first one. Nothing to do with schools!