Surton le Steeple Play Area

Case Study: Sturton Le Steeple Community Park
Budget: 100k
Funding: Nottinghamshire County Council / Big Lottery Fund / WREN

Client Background
In 2005 Sturton Le Steeple Parish Council undertook a major project to create new play facilities for the children of the area.
As the preferred supplier, Proludic Ltd aided Sturton Le Steeple Parish Council with its funding bid; providing quotes and designs over a two-year period.
A proportion of the project’s funding was sourced from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Building Better Communities initiative. Other monies were acquired from the Big Lottery Fund and WREN, Waste Recycling Environment Limited.
In total the council successfully raised £70,000 for the new play area.

Project Brief
Sturton Le Steeple Parish Council wanted to update and modernise the current play facilities available in the village. Extending the existing site to provide play provision for all ages; with items to excite the youngest of residents, and challenging dynamic equipment for the local teenagers.
The brief was to create an exciting space; two play areas to be divided by an existing sports pitch, whilst maintaining a balance with the village’s rural environment.

Design Solution
Proludic Ltd were awarded the project, consultation viewed their design to supply the best solutions for the new area. The innovative equipment suggested, best met the children’s needs.
The project’s designer, Adam Dickerson commented on the teen provision in the design, ‘Proludic’s unique dynamic sports equipment provides competitive and physical activities for the teenage residents, often over looked in the community.’ The site, at the centre of the village creates an area that the entire community can use and enjoy together.
Timber based products were chosen to blend in with the local environment, and to be aesthetically pleasing to all residents.

Play Area
The play area at Sturton Le Steeple provides imaginative and social play opportunities. For the younger children a castle theme has been created. A brightly coloured multiplay unit and springers, allow them to slide, climb and create their own games. Inspired by the natural world, the Kanope multiplay unit is an exciting play item for the older child. Children can scale the net or climbing wall, socialise in the tree-top hut, or challenge their friends on the monkey bars. Standing 3.8m from the ground, this impressive piece of kit is the focal point of the play area, and attracts families from the neighbouring area.
The Dynamic kit, installed for the over 12s, is designed to challenge and excite. The Rodeo Board and Twinfly simulate dynamic sports. Young people can enjoy the sensation of skysurfing and windsurfing, challenging and competing with their friends; an exciting and thrilling ride!
As exercise and competitive sport are an important aspect of personal development, a goal end and skating area have been included in the scheme.

The Outcome
The new play area, completed in December 2007, has received a fantastic response from the local residents. Committee member Wendy Payton-Green stated that: ‘the park has gone down a storm…People outside the village are driving to the park as they have seen it in passing.’

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