Proludic Revamp Marmion Park

Case Study: Proludic Revamp Marmion Park
Client: Nottingham City Council
Budget: £140,000
Funding: Play Pathfinder, Section 106, Capital Funding

When creating a new play area, you are not just providing a space in which children can play; it is a space that the whole community can enjoy. A well designed play area satisfies the needs of the local residents as well as providing young people with a place of their own.

Project Background
Last year a ‘green space’ in Marmion Estate on the St Ann’s estate in Nottingham was causing a problem amongst many of the residents. With little available activities to inspire the children they used this space as a ‘kick about’. Unfortunately this location was densely housed on all sides and neighbours viewed these games as a nuisance. Balls often ended up in gardens or windows!
A solution was needed; a place for the children to play, safely, and without causing damage to other people’s property.

Inspired by the acquisition of funding from the government’s Pathfinder scheme, Nottingham City Council decided to create a play area nearby. This would be for all ages, with additional provision for ball games, to fulfil the needs highlighted by the residents of Marmion. £50,000 of Pathfinder money was allocated which was match funded against the Section 106 scheme, from whom they were awarded £40,000. A final contribution of £50,000 capital funding from Nottingham City Council brought the projects total to £140,000.

The Design Solution
Nottingham City Council chose local playground manufacturer Proludic to create a play space that fulfilled the brief.

The Ballcourt has been designed to fulfil the children’s and local residents’ needs. It has been installed with 3m fencing surrounding it, to ensure continuation of play, and to confine the ball to the games area.
Keen to limit the impact of these ball games to the wider community, the panels of Proludic’s Ballcourt are fitted with an integrated noise reduction system. To keep panel vibrations to a minimum, a rubber insert is placed between the aluminium parts. Measurements recorded with a sound level meter have proven that noise levels are lower than those of an urban environment.
Within the Ballcourt’s robust frame, the local children can now play ball games, without posing an irritation to the other residents.

The new play area also boasts a host of exciting, dynamic kit. Children of all ages can swing, slide, climb, balance and traverse on the wide variety of equipment now available to them.

The Outcome
Marmion Park was opened in June 2009 by Councillor Dave Trimble, of the Dunkirk and Lenton Ward and Portfolio holder for Leisure, Culture and Customs. Councillor Trimble said of the space: ‘The new facilities have brightened the park and provided more play, sport and fun for local children and families. It has been a major investment with plans put together based on the wishes of local residents. I hope the park will give lots of enjoyment for many years, and will encourage children and families to use it for a whole range of healthy play and exercise.’

The local children now have a new play area in which to exercise and socialise. They have a designated space for ball games, to the benefit of the wider community as a whole.

There has been great enthusiasm for the new play area at Marmion, Simon Hunter, Parks Development Officer for Nottingham City Council commented that the space provides a, ‘Nice mix – it works well’, ‘something for everyone, with lot’s of movement’. He went on the say that the new space was ‘really well used ’, and that ‘after school they [the children] invade the place!’

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