A properly brilliant, toddlerhood-defining playground for East Dulwich

[benb]

East Dulwich is packed with wide-eyed and limber-limbed toddlers, yet the playground facilities aren't a patch on the provincial adventure-lands I've frequented, in much smaller and less imaginative towns (no offence Taunton, I love you really).

Rather than moan about it, I'd like to do something about it. This thread is the first step to temperature check what is very much the tiniest seedling of an idea; does this sound interesting, feasible or worthwhile? It might be a local government campaign, a new project co-operative, a kickstarter.com initiative, or combination of all of the above.

I look forward to hearing (anything) you might think.

Ben

[Medusa]

Peckham Rye Park playground needs a total overhaul. There are so many innovative, inspiring playgrounds out there. It would be fantastic to have one here in SE22 Nappy Valley.

[Jakido]

Something like the Brockwell Park playground would be great:

http://www.landuse.co.uk/news/2012-06-13-brand-new-playground-opens-brockwell-park#.VWCuGim9LCQ

[landellsrd]

Peckham rye is the place to do it!

[kkoi]

I contacted James Barber last month about having a splash park and sand area and he forwarded email to the Parks and open spaces manager for the borough of Southwark and she said they are consulting people later this year. . He seemed to think it could happen in the next year or so, but it might bw worth getting a petition or something, perhaps it might hurry it along a bit??

[jane1]

Defo splash park..

[intexasatthe moment]

How would it be financed ?

[kkoi]

The council as mentioned above as they have already been looking in to it... if worse came to worse... what about some good old community fundraising?? I'm sure if every family round here chipped in we could finance a great park!!

[acb2013]

Brilliant idea for Peckham Rye Park.

[Cora]

Splash park definitely my priority x

[buggie]

Splash park would be good but only if not at the cost of existing space that's used for play all year round. Maybe if the campaign to reopen Peckham Lido wasn't a success, the space there could be snared for it - Belvedere Splash Park is fab, but then opposite is a large playground/sports ground so play space doesn't seem lost.

[Pugwash]

Am I the only oldie who recalls taking the kids to the paddling pools on Peckham Rye and the park opposite Hornimans to splash around, also in Wells Park?, The councils got rid of these as they could not afford to maintain them.

[Northeastview]

Splash park in Peckham Rye would be great. We love the one at Myatts Fields and Brockwell if you're looking for inspiration.

[intexasatthe moment]

Pugwash ,no you're not .It was so hot one summer that the tarmac in the Horniman recration ground paddling pool melted and my mother was beyond furious trying to get black tar off my and my brother's feet .

But I think paddling pools are very expensive to maintain .Sadly .

[Mrs Y]

We loved taking all three of our boys to the paddling pools, Peckham Rye,Hornimans and Wells Park, such a shame that the council could not afford to maintain them. I also remember the lido at Peckham. Those were the days...........

[siousxiesue]

There's a big splash pool in Ruskin Park.

[sbain]

It would be amazing ot be able to build an accessible playground for East Dulwich/Peckham. My son is disabled and the only pieces of equipment he can really use at Goose Green or Peckham Rye are the toddler swings and the tyre swing (and the toddler swings will be too small for him fairly soon). There are some great (if v elaborate ideas here http://www.special-education-degree.net/30-most-impressive-accessible-and-inclusive-playgrounds/) and for ideas closer to home the Thames Valley Adventure Playground is fab (http://www.tvap.co.uk/).

[simonethebeaver]

Sbain, you know about the accessible swing and roundabout in Dulwich Park? Pretty minimal provision obviously but an improvement on Peckham Rye.

[James Barber]

Hi sbain,

A number of years ago I organised a wheehciar accessible roundabout in Dulwich Park playground.

Presume it's still there?

Then orgnaised a couple more dotted across Southwark from all the follow=-up requests.

Another facet we should all feed into the consultatinop taking place later this year.

Hi Jakido,

The picture you've linked to is similar to what was tried with Goose Green Playground. Not as much space as in the picture and the intensity of use at GG meant the grass didn't ast long and had to be replaced.

We do have adventure playgrounds dotted around but they're obviously not suitable for toddlers.

[dhjs]

This is our idea:

The current Bellenden School will be moving to a new site in September 2016 where they will having a wonderful new school, double their current size.

This will leave a large empty space. We would love to see that site used for the following:

shared sports facilities for the local schools in the area (MUGA -multi use games area)such as courts for tennis and football and cricket etc

trees to climb and hide behind

shrubs and flowerbeds to admire

climbing equipment for the brave and not so brave

dog walking spaces

benches to sit on -to talk, read, and watch the world go by

places to perform

an urban oasis used for the community by the community 24/7

What do you think? I'm happy to work on this with others if we think there's an idea here.

[buggie]

Where's Bellenden School moving to? Know Belham Free School'll be opening at the old Bellenden Sch building but hadn't realised the existing Bellenden Sch would be moving too.

[Jeremy]

There's a new school being built on Troy Town, is that the location of the new Bellenden School?

[katgod]

always thought Bellenden looked a nice school - low rise, outside space, pretty modern. How come it gets a rebuild when the Victorian build schools don't?

[sbain]

Hi James, I have a feeling the wheelchair accessible roundabout is no longer there following the installation of the new playground equipment.But I'm not 100% sure as my son is small enough that he dosn't yet need wheelchair accessible equipment. Also to be honest while the accessible roundabout and wheelchair swing in dulwich park are great and to be applauded, they are very much the disabled equipment in a mainstream playground. An inclusive playground would be great. One where children of all abilities could play together.

The best inclusive playgrounds around here I find are the sand park by the horniman triangle (playing in the sand is a big winner with both of my boys) and the sound garden at the horniman (which again allows them to play together (albeit for a relatively short period of time).

[Jeremy]

katgod - maybe it's just too small?