COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

MOTION NO. 9

MOTION: Councillor T. Gilligan

"That the Chief Executive  give an update of playspaces in Clondalkin."

REPORT:

The Playspace programme in South Dublin County Council is a five year programme that commenced in 2014. The provision of playgrounds in the recent past concentrated on large, formally equipped and defined playgrounds with highly specialised equipment. The playspace programme aims to provide opportunities to play. This type of play allows children to develop their imagination, challenge their abilities, deal with risk and, critically, adapt their own environment.

The Play Space programme was established following the identification of a deficit of play areas for children in this county. This was documented in the policy document ‘Developing play in South Dublin County’ adopted by the Council in June 2006. However the development of play areas / playgrounds did not result in the immediate aftermath, due to the economic downturn and lack of development generally.

In recent years there has been an emphasis on the physical and mental well-being of children. Over the past 20 years there has been a significant rise in levels of obesity, childhood diabetes, high levels of stress and increasing sedentary lifestyles. A report by the National Taskforce on Obesity estimates that 300,000 children in Ireland are now obese.

Due to a variety of factors children are less likely to wander far from their own homes. A study in the UK documented the distance children travelled from home for play; the results showed that the distance children roam from home on their own has shrunk by 90% since the 70s; 43% of adults think a child shouldn't play outdoors unsupervised until the age of 14. So children are increasingly confined to the immediate environs of their homes. This results in children’s activity being dependant on the immediate environment of their homes being conducive to a wide variety of play opportunities and social interaction; which is not so readily available in sterile landscapes of mown grass.

Delivery to date: Playspace Programme 2014-2018

Introduction

The Play Space Programme is scheduled for completion at the end of 2018. The programme has been very successful to date, particularly taking into account the difficulties encountered during the early phases. The programme has progressed with hard work and significant active involvement from elected members and local communities, and direct engagement with children; the Council can be proud to be in a position where it is now perceived to be at the vanguard of creating new play opportunities close to where children live. It can also be proud to have embraced a new type of play space delivery – using the concepts of Natural Play and where children can create their own play opportunities.

Delivery to date

The following 17 play space projects have been constructed to date at an average cost of approx €65,000.

Planned Programme

A programme of playspaces were presented in June 2017 to the Elected Members following an examination of the programme. The projects were prioritised to allow for the completion of the programme within budget. The programmed playspaces are at various stages of consultation, planning and design with a view to tender and construct in lots. In subsequent years proposals for future playspaces may be requested and included as part of the Council's capital programme subject to budget approval. The current actions regarding playspaces within the Clondalkin area is the planned Part 8 for 2 No. playspaces at Newcastle.