PLAYGROUND QUESTIONNAIRE
No of questionnaires 29
1.
What do you like about the playground between Parish Court and St Thomas’ Church
Graveyard (Emsworth Road)?
 Good central location
 I like its location and that there is area for expansion
 Easy access to it after picking up from school. Open and safe, seats for
parents to watch children.
 That it is close to my house and there are no other playgrounds within walking
distance.
 Like the see-saw and the roundabout (Mum remembers the see-saw from when
she was young). My little sister likes the baby swings and the slide.
 Tall slide, toddler swings. Fact it is fence in. Rubber matting. Space between
the facilities.
 Large grass area for children to run around
 It’s quiet and close to school.
 Location
 It is enclosed away from roads and sheltered. Lovely green leafy spot.
 The size is good but even bigger area would be welcome.
 Convenience, it’s the only town centre playground! Close to a school, ideal for
regular use after school hours.
 The space available is suitable, sufficient equipment range.
 It is close to school and we meet other children there after school. The
Roundabout is the most favourite piece of apparatus, Good that it is enclosed.
Boys enjoy having a kick around on grass it would be good to fence a large
grass area to ensure dog mess free.
 Favourites: roundabout and swings (for older children). We absolutely love this
playground and go in after school every week and from time to time at
weekends. My children love climbing on the metalwork of the slide
somersaulting underneath it and adore the swings. Also like the seats and
grassed area. Love to play football on grass in summer. Closeness to school
and town. “The swings are awesome I love the roundabout” Maria aged 7.
“They can’t get rid of the slide. I love that” Louis aged 9.
 It’s in a good location when you’re walking back from town.
 Location is good, away from roads.
 It is in a nice location, plenty of parking nearby
 Proximity to home, Dogs are kept out, Swings, See-saw
 Two sets of wings, for older and young children, the height of the slide, the
roundabout and see-saw.
 It’s a big play park.
 Location, nice scenery, feels safe.
 It really does not worry me where it is.
 Seeing the very little children on the slide etc.
 Roundabouts, see-saw, Handy stop off going into/from town.
 It is adequate
2. What do you not like about the playground between Parish Court and St
Graveyard (Emsworth Road)?
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Thomas’
Equipment is limited
It is grubby and failure to ignite young children’s imagination
Old, doesn’t look nice, rubbish thrown around.
Not enough bins, older children wrecking the equipment, not much choice of
equipment.
It is always messy, rubbish is scattered about and the bins are full.
Looking very tired and old fashioned. More bins as there is always a lot of
rubbish which seems to be from the teenagers who congregate after school.
The rubbish and bird poo over equipment, needs cleaning/updating.
Not much for the children to do
Not a lot, very boring, covered in pigeon poo and bear cans. Uninteresting
Bit run down, worry about children going underneath the roundabout. Small
children put off by older ones in gangs.
Looks rundown, not enough choice. Colours needed to stimulate play.
Layout, equipment
Sadly the walk there is often littered with dog poo!! Broken old equipment which
isn’t suitable for younger age groups.
Looking extremely tired and old.
There is always a lot of litter left by older users. The birds always make the
swings messy. Children escape through broken fence!! Swings are great but
with no barriers smaller children cross into their path.
I have often picked up broken glass, beer cans, various litter before allowing my
children to enter. Children are upset to find swings tied to top of framework
irretrievable from time to time.
It gets very muddy and dirty after bad weather. Also the play equipment is very
spread out and the slide is dangerous for young children
Not very attractive and colourful, doesn’t look very safe (I’m sure it is but it looks
old).
There is not enough equipment for the children as sometimes there’s too many
children, it is a bit secluded.
The bins do not get emptied frequently enough, so there is often rubbish which
gets blown by the wind. There is often bird poo on the baby swings. The grass
is often long. The slide is too high for toddlers.
Paint work is tired.
It is dirty, ie alcohol bottles, used condoms always covered in bird poo so you
have to wipe everything off. Rubbish bins were missing for weeks.
Not inspiring, tarmac, not enough to do for older children (junior school age).
It is so noisy with the older children commandeering the equipment stopping the
smaller ones using them.
Not enough seating, not enough pathways, long, wet grass. Not enough
equipment for the size of the area enclosed. Need more swings. Too far from
my house to make a special visit to (only go there if in town anyway)
The older children/teenagers making a noise into the early hours, especially in
the summer.
No opinion
3. What would you like to see improved?
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Bigger selection of equipment across a broader range of ages
I would like to see it split into two areas. Each area for children of different age
groups.
Tidier with more equipment for children
More equipment, a pulley or something similar. Soft flooring.
The swings could do with being in the corner not in the middle. Or have a small
fence in front (like Bath Road) to make them safer. People run or walk past and
often get too close.
Shaded seating area. More bins, more modern equipment.
Equipment for children.
More equipment
Better equipment and use of green space. More seats and plants, maybe picnic
area to encourage people to stay longer
Bit run down, worry about children going underneath the roundabout. Small
children put off by older ones in gangs.
Range of activities
The separation of toddler/older children’s area. Size of play area enlarged.
New equipment, more of it.
New equipment required, range needs to be improved.
Play equipment is mostly used by 510 years so equipment quite basic at the
moment and leaves little room for imagination.
Litter checks stepped up especially after Friday night and Monday mornings. “I’d
like a trampoline”. Maia aged 7.
Better play equipment for younger children.
More wood/natural look (similar to Woodside), Less concrete
Add or aim a CCTV camera at the grounds to cover theft etc, more bins.
Smaller slide for toddlers, swings cleaned, excellent idea like Woodside Park.
Paintwork
Cleaner rubbish bin and the gate can be opened easily as it has no bolt so young
children can easily escape.
More play stations, more colourful, new ground surface.
A higher fence around facing green
Pathway to seating areas to avoid walking on long (wet) grass; more benches for
adults dotted around the site.
No opinion
4. What could be provided on the site that would make it better?
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Something that gets the kids running, leaping and climbing
More modern equipment. A whole new approach. Bath Road Park in Lymington
is a lot closer to my expectations for a modern park.
Shelter from sun/rain
Newer more modern equipment. Bigger space, more seats for parents, picnic
tables etc for summer, wet play area?
Climbing frame or climbing wall, like monkey bars, (just poles, not handles)
Adventure climbing facility such as that at Woodside.
More for children to do.
More baby swings
Seats, equipment for disabled children/adults (swings), Picnic tables.
Better equipment, regular cleaning, CCTV.
Climbing frame, adventure type equipment
A zip swing/trampoline, more seating.
Woodside playground is fantastic with the new equipment that has been provided
there. Something similar, a multi-use structure children can climb up to and
come down with slides/ropes etc would be perfect (and swings) eg a wooden
fortress.
New equipment
Monkey bars, climbing frame.
More physical equipment for 7 years+
Updated play equipment, basket swings good as multiple users can use it.
Climbing frame/tower assault course maybe.
One of those round swings for more than one child. Would love to see a
climbing wall. Many children climb the fence to get in … A gate near the corner
by the doctor’s might be an idea.
Fake grass or kid friendly flooring that’s not covered in muddy puddles.
More climbing equipment eg rope pyramid
CCTV, more bins, more equipment
Climbing frame. My son loves the ‘steering wheels’.
More seating, more bins
A rubbish bin
Take a look at the equipment at West Bay (Bridport). It’s excellent: we call it the
‘Pirate Park’. A rope-web climbing frame like ship rigging. Tunnels, big basket
swing like in Bath Road.
I don’t think it needs any extras.
No opinion
5. What concerns would you have about any alterations to the site?
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I am aware that because of its central location if there are nice benches and
shelters it could become a haven for teenage drinkers of an evening.
It must not be too attractive to teenagers as they often just by their presence
alone take over the park.
None as long as it’s an improvement
Older children ruining it.
Don’t want the playground to get smaller
Use of chipped bark. If it is updated to suit multiple ages that they are in
separate area.
None
None
Vandalism, graffiti, noise level.
None
Security and the possibility of vandalism at night
None - it needs to be done.
None – it would be great to have the park updated. My only concern might be
that it could encourage older users at anti-social times which could be
intimidating (nuisance to elderly neighbours).
I would be concerned being so near town about a wooden structure attracting
vandalism.
None
None but would like to see local contractors used.
None really
No wood chippings please! It is too messy! The wood chippings get into
shoes/hair etc.
Taking away the slide!! My children love it.
I think if it becomes more for teenagers you will get more beer bottles, fag ends,
rubbish and it will be a gathering point.
Noise for residents nearby.
Noise will be made while work is being carried out as I live in flats adjoining
green.
Vague about size of increase – to incorporate extra multi use equipment to
accommodate toddlers and children up to 14 would probably be twice the size.
Not acceptable on this site and area.
Does it already have a problem with teenagers handing out there at night – I
don’t know? It’s not really close to any large housing developments at
Pennington Common is in dire need of refurb for the Ramley Road and other
satellites of this sheet.
6. Please rate the following uses:
Strongly
preferred
Preferred
No opinion
Very
Undesirable Desirable
Play up to 5 years
16
5
1
Play up to 14 Years
10
3
9
3
2
3
6
10
5
2
7
6
2
5
Play up to 17 years
No play provision
1
Flowers, plants and
trees
3
11*
4
Somewhere pleasant
to sit
9
10
1
3
6
*My son loves climbing in the shrubs at Woodside!
7. On a scale of 1 – 5 with 1 rating as not popular and 5 as most popular, how would you
rate the following:
Swings
124
Seesaw
89
Spring mounted bouncy items
68
They always break
Climbing wall
80
(Where?)
Roundabout
96
Multipurpose equipment
90
Rope equipment
98
Not sure what that would look like
Slide 5
Your age group (optional)
0-19
3
20 -34
5
34 -50
14
51 -64
64+
2
Any other comments.
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I agree it is time this lovely central park was modernised for all to enjoy. Maybe
some picnic benches?
Any park or equipment needs to be tailored to how young children play.
Sometimes this is not always obvious and as grown-up we think we know best or
set out to provide what we think children want. This is all too often a mistake.
Unfortunately, the language and behaviour of some older “children” are undesirable
in a playground which is mostly frequented by young children.
Zip wire in the corner
This is a great park but it is starting to show its age. We use it regularly as we pass
it on our walks into town. More multi-purpose equipment would be great as the
current equipment means that on hot days children are queuing to use everything.
I have 3 children who love going to Woodside Park. Unfortunately we don’t go to
this park by the church as it is not very well maintained – swings have bird poo on
seats, bins overflowing with rubbish and cigarette ends, would love to see it
transformed into somewhere nice to take children.
Climbing equipment suits both toddlers and older children. Seesaw doesn’t involve
using any imagination and needs two people. Monkey bars would be great,
disabled swing would be great. Slides a favourite (for older kids too). Need things
for young adults with disabilities!!
Woodside is brilliant but a long way from the schools. Something similar at this site
would be brilliant but needs reliable maintenance and cleaning.
If a ball area is provided, please do not position it as at Highcliffe. Children are
constantly hit by footballs because of the direction of the goal.
The current seesaw is far too high for younger children to climb
onto and even when they are up there they are unable to use it. Whilst a see-saw
would be preferred, please make it a user friendly one – lower and easier. The
spring-mounting bouncy items often have high fronts (eg animal heads),
unfortunately children often hit their chins/faces on these causing cuts and bruises
– low bars would be far safer and easier to hold.
I would like the playground signed from the High Street for visitors and newcomers.
Thanks for the opportunity to join the discussion.
I think the funds should be split and divided up between St Thomas graveyard
playground and Lower Buckland Road playground as both are used a lot by the
wider community but are very much in need of a re-furb.
I have seen the site at Woodside and I think it is very good for the very young
children, so I have no objection to your plans at Parish Court (from a resident aged
94 years).
The age ranges of up to 14 and 17 years would disrupt and scare smaller children
especially as they seem to have no respect for others or items. They need their
own area or section for skating and blading away from other kids and elderly people
passing through the Church.
Leave it as it is and if equipment needs replacing purchase same new. The more
amusement you provide the more children will not “think up” their own games etc.
Whatever the age limit it will be ignored by teenagers and adults using the
equipment as now. Increased size of the playground would infringe on Parish
Court outlook as wood no doubt a climbing wall, multi purpose equipment together
with ropes. We do not want it but with the problems we had with youths 4 – 5 years
ago – Hell.
Please do something about the play facilities on Penning Common. It’s a long walk
to Woodside from Meadowlands, the Buckland is not much better. Bath Road is a
car journey.