£200k project to allow kids take risks

This Londonderry park benefitted from £200k in funding and was one of seven exemplar projects across Northern Ireland backed by OFMDFM to improve children's health and well-being.

The two projects received the funding due to the Department’s recognition of the importance of play and leisure activities for children as laid out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Just seven Councils - including Londonderry and Strabane - applied for funding as part of the OFMDFM Play Exemplar Programme after the Department identified a need to promote new and innovative play and leisure facilities across NI.

The OFMDFM Ministers stated: “Out of 26 district councils, seven applied to participate in the initiative. £150k was initially made available for these play projects from the 2009/10 Play and Leisure Policy budget of £329k.

“This was, however, increased due to the high level of interest and the seven District Councils were subsequently awarded funding totalling £200k to take their projects forward.”

The Ministers said that “unique and forward thinking play and leisure facilities” were put in place in St Columb’s Park and Donemana following consultation with young people.

An internal OFMDFM report on the exemplar projects says Derry City Council used the money for its Adventure Play Environment (APE) in St Columb’s Park.

“The funding obtained was for use in phase two of the programme - Play for a Change - which is a highly innovative project involving the creation and programming of shared adventure play environments within St Columb’s Park,” the report explains.

The new park was designed to provide facilities for the under 12s to add to those already extant for those in the 12-16 age group.

The aim was to “encourage, stimulate and challenge children to take risk through play within the context of a safe and welcoming environment.”

Fencing, fixed equipment and mobile tipis were also funded to allow children and young people of all ages to ‘hang out’ and engage in imaginative play.

Strabane District Council used the money for phase 2 of an inclusive play project in Donemana.

“The overall aim of the project is to provide an accessible environment for children and young people from the Donemana area so that they can benefit from better play and leisure opportunities, have the opportunity to play in a safe environment and have access to play opportunities which will have a positive impact on the health and well being of children and young people in the area,” the OFMDFM report explains.

Interactive workshops with young people were “imperative” in bringing the scheme forward, the report also says.

The civil servants implementing the programme explain that play has a proven record of promoting children’s physical and mental health but that society has changed and new safe and modern facilities are needed to encourage it.

“We recognise that society has changed as have the needs of children and young people to access play and leisure.

“Through these exemplar projects, we intend to show how these needs might be met through providing new and innovative facilities,” the report concludes.