To find your nearest play area or skatepark, please use our play area finder.
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Yes definitely, please contact us using the general enquiry form on the right hand side of the page and tell us your thoughts and ideas. Let us know where you think it would be possible to site the play facility and any people you know who might get involved. We don’t have any money to fund play projects, but we can help to get your ideas up and running, and we will support you right to the end.
We can help you drum up support in your community to try get people involved in setting up something for children and young people in your area. Once a group is formed, we will support you through all the steps from finding suitable land, undertaking fundraising activities and choosing play equipment.
To get the idea off the ground, you will need to speak with people in your area to see if they think it is a good idea and also your local town or parish council. Then identify a suitable place to locate the facility.
The following pdf documents ‘beginning stages of developing a play area’ and ‘developing play facilities in your community’ will give you guidance on how to start your ideas.
Beginning Stages of developing a play area (pdf 120kb opens in new window)
Developing play facilities in your community (pdf 2575kb opens in new window)
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Help is available to support you in finding money to fund or maintain your play area, skatepark or activity club from various sources. Plus you can register and search for a free grant on the Grantnet website.
Grantnet (external website)
For groups who look after their own play area, they can tackle this tricky problem of finding funding to maintain it by fundraising through their own events (fairs, quiz nogiths, sponsored events, etc.). They also often talk to their local town or parish council about raising money through the local ‘precept’ (the local bit of your council tax).
How about asking all the local businesses to pay a little each year so they can have a plaque on the play area fence or front gate.
East Riding Voluntary Action Services (ERVAS) can also help groups look for funding.
ERVAS (external website)
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Try not to always think about swings and slides, a well-designed play space is all about creating an interesting area that is enjoyed by children and their families who want to visit frequently.
Here’s a few idea.
- organise a bulb or tree planting event with local children and their parents
- add rocks and logs for children to climb or sit on
- make some sound by hanging windpipes in the trees
- can you find some good quality soil? How about making a grassy mound (a big favourite!)
- include colourful, textured planting (mazes, shaped areas, strong scents)
- let the grass grow long and have an exploration area
- drag out the emulsion and varnish and brighten up tired looking fencing
- how about some small wooden bike ramps?
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Although we do not have a play training diary of courses, we are working with external partners to provide appropriate courses on a needs basis. If you are interested in finding out more about what courses we can offer, please get in touch using the contact details on the right hand side of the page.
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If you are feeling upset or threatened by a child or young person’s behaviour, please contact us by completing the anti-social behaviour form (opens in new window). For criminal offences, please call the Police.
If you are concerned about the way children and young people are playing, please contact the team using the general enquiry form on the right hand side of the page.
Adults can sadly mistake boisterous play as anti-social behaviour. Young people hanging around in groups or children shouting should not be always interpreted as having any serious or malicious purpose. Children should be allowed to be children, which does mean making mistakes, and it our role to support children to make the most of their childhood and enjoy their community.
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The play areas managed by the council are inspected at least once a week by our trained and Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) qualified play area inspection officers.
Play areas that have a high usage rate will be inspected on a more frequent basis to ensure the safety of the public.
An annual inspection is carried out by an independent inspector.
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Please complete our play area fault report form (opens in new window). Our play area inspection and maintenance team will be notified and will investigate the problem and respond as soon as they can.
If it is an emergency you could also call 07818 011 419 to get straight through to our dedicated helpline.
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