Portsmouth City Council Takes Steps Toward More Accessible Play Parks

Portsmouth City Council is on a mission to enhance accessibility in its 124 municipal parks. Despite their proactive policy change and large scale implementation of inclusive play equipment, the outcome has been hit or miss. All parks should feature at least one kind of inclusive apparatus for children. Critical barriers still keep children with disabilities…

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Portsmouth City Council Takes Steps Toward More Accessible Play Parks

Portsmouth City Council is on a mission to enhance accessibility in its 124 municipal parks. Despite their proactive policy change and large scale implementation of inclusive play equipment, the outcome has been hit or miss. All parks should feature at least one kind of inclusive apparatus for children. Critical barriers still keep children with disabilities from entering these facilities.

Sophie, a local mother, has been raising visibility on the issue for her daughter Millie, a wheelchair user. She strongly lamented the injustice of it all. Despite parks having adapted swing sets, trampolines and wheelchair accessible roundabouts, kids like Millie are frequently excluded as they can’t access them due to the woodchip flooring. This bumpy and jarring surface is a great obstacle for any wheelchair user.

As the government guidance released in 2020 clearly states, woodchip is not appropriate as an accessible surface. First and foremost, they stress the need to find solutions that work for every child. As Labour councillor Charlotte Gerada noted, much of the equipment currently found in Portsmouth is “very little, minimal.” By comparison, neighbouring towns such as Fareham and Havant have furthered the creation of inclusive places to play.

Sophie reflected on the need for this change to happen soon, adding that accessibility in Portsmouth parks is “practically nonexistent.” She has campaigned for a number of months to shine light on this critical issue. Just last week, she celebrated the successful passage of a motion introduced by Councillor Gerada to make access easier.

“We understand it’s expensive to put a playpark in and equipment isn’t cheap, when new equipment is being rolled out or new parks are being put in, inclusive design should be at the heart of it.” – Sophie

Often, when the city council is confronted with the data, they’ve already recognized the necessity for improvement. A spokesperson stated, “Over the past two decades, Portsmouth’s play spaces have been transformed, with more diverse and inclusive equipment, despite no central government funding being made available for the past 16 years.” Meanwhile, they promised to look into ways to improve disability access at play parks.

Councillor Gerada stated that this is why it’s crucial to consult children. After all, children are the best consultants when it comes to the design of play spaces, their input is critical. The only experts at play are the kids themselves,” she said. The council has worked with play experts to develop the previous equipment. They are the first to admit that there is more work yet to come.

Sophie thinks these public consultations should be a key part of the planning process for any new or improved parks. Her call for community input aligns with her vision of transforming Portsmouth’s parks into spaces where every child can enjoy playing alongside their peers.

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