Plentyoffunandgamesasthe SouthBeachPlaygroundopens
THE Greystones South Beach Playground is now open and children have been making great use of the brand new inclusive facility.
The playground was designed for children of every ability and built around the core ethos of ‘side-by-side play’.
Important to the playground committee and Wicklow County Council was that the design took into account both visible and invisible disabilities and additional needs, autism spectrum, mobility issues, hearing and visually impairments children and motor coordination difficulties.
Committee chair Niamh Egan said that ‘side-by-side play’ represents children playing with their peers, and also families enjoying a day out knowing all their children are catered for, no matter their age or ability.
‘It was important to us to ensure that the playground doesn’t look like a ‘special needs’ playground,’ said Niamh. ‘In fact, it doesn’t look different in any way, but inside, we hope you’ll see a different picture.
‘ This means a see-saw that can accommodate groups of children sitting, standing or even lying down, so regardless of a child’s core or leg strength, all children can play together on this see-saw. The wheelchair swing is next to all the other swings, so regardless of abilities or age everybody is in the same area swinging together. The sandpit allows wheelchairs to be in the middle of all the fun, not on the outside looking in.’
The musical area is the first of its kind in Ireland. It consists of hand-crafted, pitch perfect, percussion instruments which will allow everyone from children to adults to express themselves and communicate together through the magic of music. The cosy cocoon can be a seat in a rocket ship, or a safe place where a child on the autism spectrum can rest their senses until they are ready to join their peers again.
‘It’s all about a simple change of perspective that will mean so much to a child who may spend a lot of their time watching rather than taking part,’ said Niamh.
Wicklow County Council played an integral part in making the playground a reality for the community. It managed the tender and build process. There was also fundraising and community support, including an incredibly generous donation from a local family.
Some of the playground’s highlights include the wheelchair swing, a sensory path and musical play area, toddler play areas, a wheelchair-accessible sand factory, a large activity set with climbing frames and tube slides, swings, ziplines, and a ball court complete with basketball hoops and a football goal.
‘Playground company All-play made sure that we had the best and most innovative equipment for our playground,’ said Niamh.
Due to the unprecedented hot summer this year, there are landscaping areas that still need time to settle in. This means some areas are not accessible just yet. It is proposed that the official opening of the Greystones South Beach Playground will take place in September.
‘ This opening is just the start of years of fun for all our children now and in the future, but marks the end of an incredible two-year journey for the committee,’ said Niamh.
The campaign included sponsored walks, the ‘name on the wall’ fundraiser, and consultation with additional needs groups and schools.
‘We have put our hearts and souls into making the playground a magical place for our community,’ she said.
Cllr Jennifer Whitmore, committee member and Wicklow County Councillor, said: ‘After months of planning and peeking through construction fences, I am just so thrilled to see children of all abilities playing side-by-side together. We hope that the playground will be a valuable new asset to our wonderful community. This is a great example of what can be achieved when local communities work hand-in-hand with the council to deliver key community facilities.’
Michael Nicholson, Director of Services Community, Cultural and Social Development at Wicklow County Council said: ‘Congratulations and thank you to everyone from the committee and WCC for all of your hard work making this dream a reality. The playground is a fantastic addition for all of north County Wicklow and one that I hope will be treasure for years to come.’