East Dulwich Playground

[Tea]

Hello everyone,

I want to know your thoughts on the basketball area and the use of cycles in the playground.

I witnessed one pretty bad incident a few weeks ago when a football hit a woman's face. My husband had to run to the local cafe to get ice and she needed a good 30 minutes to recover. I've also had a ball come in our direction from a great height but deflected it. Today, a child of about 12 rode his bike through the main area (where the slide is and very young children play) and knocked down my 3-year-old. He rode away without looking back, but my daughter needed ice and now has a badly bruised bump on her temple. I know it gets busy and children have accidents and bump into each other but having a heavy, hard ball hit a child's face is very different and would cause serious injury. I don't understand why the young adults/older children who want to kick a ball around don't go to the green area over the crossing!

I was thinking of talking to parents when I visit next, and perhaps getting a petition together, taking film/pictures of the basketball area when populated by older children playing football(as they play/kick the ball pretty hard), and perhaps approaching the council or local MP about having restrictions (no cycle riding or hard balls signs etc.) and a barrier between the basketball court and the rest of the play area, which is mostly used by toddlers and infants.

Your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[lightweight]

A barrier would be good - I've had a few footballs to the head! Best not to film under 18s but instead ask someone from the council to come and monitor the situation.

[kristymac1]

There is a 'no cycling' rule already and I frequently remind (mostly older) children of it. I have a 4 yr old who loves to play football and we rarely have a problem sharing the space with older kids - most of the time the older ones are pretty good at being mindful of the little ones (and vice versa). The only problems we've ever had have been with much older kids/teenagers (14+) swearing and being 'tough' (ha!) - perhaps an upper limit of 12yrs old would be appropriate for that particular play space, although how that could be implemented I have no idea...

[Scruffy Mummy]

Having an 11 year old who plays football there, the reason they don't play football on the actual green is mainly because there is no proper goal area. The goal at the playground is ideal really. A bunch used to play on the green bit near the playground and the semi enclosed nature of that area was good but the owners of the house complained about footballs being kicked against the house which was fair enough!

I think a barrier is good idea - I know my son finds it difficult when parents let their toddlers wander and play in the goal area. I know when he was a toddler and we when to GG playground I couldn't understand why so many older children played ball games against the small wall (this was pre the formal goal & basketball area being built) either but now I get that it's a place where they feel safe & it's a good football area. However it is very small area - I have been hit by a football there myself. Would make more sense for them to put a 'cage' (mesh fence) round it - like small inner city playgrounds I have seen in NYC. It may not look too attractive but it does the job!

[katgod]

Yes a cage or barrier would be a great idea. Sadly playground designers seem to have no idea how the spaces actually get used. The playground by the One O'clock Club in Peckham Rye needs a fence round to keep toddlers away from cyclists on the main path, and obviously the 'water' feature was a triumph.

Footballers and toddlers are not a happy mix in the Gosse Green Playground.

[Mrs D]

Had a football kicked very hard straight into my face which could have been avoided by a barrier. My kids play football there and agree it would be a lot easier for everyone if the space was enclosed.

[Scruffy Mummy]

Something like this would be perfect.... http://www.paramountsteelfence.co.uk/products/view/mesh-fencing/parasports-ball-park-fencing

I think everyone wants the playground to be used by children of different ages and I speak from experience... the East Dulwich toddlers of today will soon become the 11 - 14 year olds of tomorrow who also need safe & attractive places to play in their neighborhoods (rather than sitting for hours on playstations and ipad in their house), where they can walk and meet up with other children in their neighbourhood. That's what's lovely about Goose Green playground - that children who went to nursery and played together as toddlers can play as older children there as well. But thought needs to be given about how to organise the space.

[Renata Hamvas]

You could apply for Cleaner, Greener, Safer funds for this. Applications are being taken now!

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200256/cleaner_greener_safer

The closing date is 31st of October. I could put in an application, but I think this is far better coming from residents than Councillors.

Renata

[billyblaize]

In addtion to above comments - my son plays football in this area on occassion and is extremely mindful of younger children as he was once of that ilk - lest we forget - the younngers ones do grow into older ones.

One reason they prefer to play there is that when playing on the common or the green they are constantly having their balls burst or being chased by DOGS that are not on leads.

I cannot tell you how dangerous and annoying this and happened as recently as the 3rd Oct.

If we are to petition something - please let it be for the safety of all and not one subset.

[Jeremy]

Older kids playing football, and little kids/toddlers on swings and slides is just fundamentally a bad combination. Should be a completely separate area. Perhaps on the bit of ground on the other side of the path, or on goose green itself.

[Scruffy Mummy]

A cage (i.e. large mesh barrier around the football playing area within the playground) would make this a separate area within the playground keeping the football players and smaller children playing apart. It would mean that when there aren't football games on (i.e. during the school day, early morning), smaller children can still access the area to toddle about in as there will be a entry through the fencing. The neighbours in the house next to the bit of ground don't want balls against the side of their house - it could work if a mesh barrier was put up around that bit of green but I can't see that being a popular idea with the public. I can't see the general public being happy with a football pitch being set up on Goose Green itself - so many people use that for walking dogs, picnics etc. If anyone wants to take up Renata's idea of putting together a Greener, Cleaner, Safer Bid to get this mesh fence/barrier let me know and we could put one in.

[Jeremy]

Scruffy Mummy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I can't see the general public

> being happy with a football pitch being set up on

> Goose Green itself - so many people use that for

> walking dogs, picnics etc.

But in terms of concentration of people... the playground section is used much more intensively than Goose Green itself, so I don't see why it shouldn't be a bit more evenly distributed.

[Tea]

Hello everyone,

Many thanks for the comments/suggestions/advice etc.

I agree that the park should be accessible to all, old and young, but I can't help feeling anxious about that ball hitting a child's face!

I have made a Cleaner Greener Safer Capital Programme application 17/18 application (thank you Cllr Renata Hamvas for the link). Let's see what happens.

Thanks again,

Tea

[tarafitness]

Hi there. Resurrecting an old thread here, but I was wondering how you got on with the application?

[Tea]

Hi tarafitness,

I made the application but was unsuccessful.

I can't remember why exactly and I can't find the letter I received, but it was disappointing.

I'm hoping no other incidents happened since. I rarely use the Goose Green park now as the new Peckham Rye Common Park is closer, although it has its own problems with damaged swings and one area, which had swings made of car tyres, has been removed! Oh well, the children love it!

All the best,

Tea

[LauraHW]

On the new PR playground do we know why the tyre swings have been removed? They were only there a couple of weeks and a big hit

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Laura and Tea, thanks for bringing this to my attention

I'll find out why they have been removed and get back to you on this.

Renata

[tarafitness]

Hi Renata, any news on why the tyre swings were removed? The wooden frame is still standing devoid of any apparatus. Seems such a waste in an otherwise sparsely decked out playground.

Also, do you know if there are any plans to turn off the water when it gets down to freezing? That rock structure will be treacherous when covered with ice ❄

Thanks

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Laura and Tara,

Regarding the tyre swings, the issue is to do with the bolts that connect the tyres to the chains, it is a design flaw that sits with the company that provided the equipment. The contractor and Officers have been liaising with the company to resolve this. Officers say this should be resolved soon.

I understand that the team on site are monitoring the weather and will indeed turn off the water should there be any icy weather. Officers have mentioned that the water play is still very popular, so has left it on at this stage while the weather is so mild.

I would suggest maybe starting a new thread in regard to the Peckham Rye playgrounds as it looks like a thread about the Goose Green one.

Renata