‘Neglected’ residents with ‘no safe and secure’ playground provisions begin campaign for new park

Residents in the south of Lockleaze ward are campaigning for a new children’s playground in a neighbourhood that currently has no council-run play facilities.

Campaigners for the new playground say that they have been ‘neglected’ when it comes to the provision of playground facilities and that this is having an affect on the physical and mental wellbeing of both parents and children living within the area. Campaigners believe a number of locations are available for consideration, including on Morris Road and on greenspace behind Lindsay Road, a site where a previous council-run playground stood until the 1990s.

The playground at Gainsborough Square in the Lockleaze ward is one of the closest parks for the residents in the south of the ward, located 1.2km away from some of the residents. Photo: Emily Shimell

“There are families I have heard are thinking of moving away from the neighbourhood because there are no safe and secure provisions for the children in walking distance when every other area across the city seems to be covered,” commented a parent and resident of Shaldon Road, who did not want to be named by Bristol24/7.

The local resident added that the demographic of the area has changed in the past decade but facilities are not being provided to support them: “There has been a huge increase in families with young children in the area, and with even more homes being built in Lockleaze to meet the council’s house building strategy, it is vital that facilities for physical and mental wellbeing are implemented too.”

Chris Powell, local father-of-three and a campaigner for play facilities believes the local residents here are in a neglected area between facilities and playgrounds. “Sadly, my two-year-old has to be driven to a playground due to the lack of provision.

“Although there are some volunteer-run resources with some basic structures to play around, such as at the Old Library, it is not a substitute for a properly maintained council-run playground with a range of engaging and fun equipment, such as slides and swings. It is very close to the busy and polluting Muller Road too.”

Local parents would like to see a playground with age appropriate equipment and soft matting for crawlers, toddlers and older children to enjoy, including swings and a climbing frame. Photo courtesy of Camille Hesse

Within the Bristol City Council green spaces strategy, a 20 year strategy set out in 2008 that set standards for quality, distance and quantity of types of green spaces in the city, the maximum walking distance from a home to a children’s playground should be 450m.

However within the neighbourhood of approximately 400 homes surrounding Shaldon Road, the distance to the nearest playground on Glenfrome Road is over double the standard set out in the council strategy.

Nicole Whippey, local mother-of-one says parents are having to drive to playgrounds due to the lack of access, or worse still, not able to have their children access a playground at all.

“We have at least an hour’s walk round trip to a playground with age-appropriate equipment and there are times when I’m too exhausted to walk that far,” Nicole told Bristol24/7. “With all the concerns with climate change, and living in a city with bad enough pollution as is it, we shouldn’t be forced to drive to a playground just for our children to play. It seems the council have recognised this in their strategy, but are not acting upon it.”

Camille Hesse, a resident of Elmcroft Crescent in Lockleaze, also says there isn’t a satisfactory place to go with her daughter and so ends up staying at home. “My daughter finds it difficult to walk a long distance, and she really enjoys a playground.

“I don’t drive and pushing the pushchair uphill all the way to Ashley Down or Gainsborough Square is too difficult for me, so unfortunately we don’t get a chance to go. Having a nearby playground would help my daughter in her development and lift our spirits too.”

Parents say having a nearby playground is important for the physical and mental wellbeing of children and helps in their development. Photo courtesy of Camille Hesse

The community has voted this project as a top priority in a poll for Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) development fund spending at the recent Lockleaze Neighbourhood Virtual Forum. The campaigning residents have submitted a proposal for CIL funding to the council’s local Area Committee – which, if approved, will enable a portion of CIL funds to be available for a playground in December 2021. In addition to funding for equipment, the project needs support from the Bristol City Council parks department to ensure safe installation, management and maintenance of the park.

Bristol City Council has been contacted for comment.

Emily Shimell is reporting on Lockleaze as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a pilot project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media

Main photo by Jess Connett

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