Today we had a small group of some of the local home educating families visit the park. They had a lot of fun!
The Park has definitely received the approval of the Home Educating community. It's a great place for children to be able to range free and explore both the play equipment & nature, in peace & safety. More visits will follow. :)
Geocaching
is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by
adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate
hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your
experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups,
with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.
Geocaching
is a great way of discovering places off the beaten track or adding a
fun element to an otherwise unremarkable walk. You have probably walked
past countless geocaches already!
Wherever you are in
the world, you are never too far away from a geocache. Prestonpans has
several geocaches ranging from the quick 'cache and dash' variety to the
multi-location puzzle-solving variety that take a couple of hours to
solve.
Do you, or anybody you know, want to try your hand at growing your own food? We are about to dig several more small raised beds (1m x 1m) which will be available for members of the local community to adopt & use to grow their own veg.
Site: Prestongrange Road, Prestonpans (Edinburgh) Client: East Lothian Council Budget: £77,000 Age range: from toddlers to teenagers
CHALLENGE
What was the customer looking for?
East Lothian Council put a tender out for a play area in Prestonpans.
They were looking for a playground made with natural components, with
separate play zones for toddlers, older children, seating, picnic areas
and space for community events. We decided to go for it as we were
confident that our timber range (supplied by FHS Holtztechnik) would
perfectly suit the brief of the project.
Did the customer have a specific idea about materials?
Yes, the client was looking for Robinia timber to achieve a par with a
natural feel that blends well with the natural features of the site and
robust enough to withstand the challenges associated with a secluded
sight with no informal supervision from overlooking houses and
neighbours. The client asked for wood chip for the safety surface, which
we totally agreed with as we think it is cost effective and complements
the Robinia wood very well.
Were there any particularities with the location?
Indeed! The site was quite challenging as there was a mixture of
ground conditions to take into account. There were spaces remaining
after the removal of previous playground equipment that were filled with
spoil. A large expanse of tarmac had to be retained and incorporated
into the design. The remainder of the site had very undulating grass
areas surrounded by sloping hills lined with trees.
Were there any community interests you had to consider?
Certainly! One of the key aspects of this project was that there were
two stakeholders involved: our client (East Lothian Council) and the
community group (Friends of Cuthill Park), both with very specific ideas
of the park they wanted for the neighbourhood. An example of this was
the teen shelter. The Community group wanted a shelter where teenagers
would have a space to gather and shelter from the rain. However, the
local authority didn’t see this as a good idea as they were concerned
about possible anti-social behaviour. We highlighted to the community
group the potential hazards of a youth shelter and introduced them other
alternatives as carefully sited seating which they were happy with. We
also included some very popular pieces of equipment such as the pendulum
swing, always a star attraction.
SOLUTION
How did you overcome the challenge with the ground?
We don’t like destroying the beautiful landscape of the sites and, if
possible, we try to respect that as much as we can. On this occasion we
utilised the remaining grass areas to install our equipment for the
older age group. This was seen as a good solution by our client, who
really liked the idea of respecting the natural contours of the
landscape. Also some excavation on the ground was required to
accommodate the woodchip safer surfacing to the correct depth.
How was the equipment used to suit this project?
Within our timber range we chose the equipment that best followed the
natural feel of the landscape. We went for units like the Charles
Dickens, which incorporates ropes and fixed platforms, giving children
different play experiences as well as being able to follow the existing
contours of the area.
What do you like the most about this play design?
We’re delighted to see that once again our timber range – FHS
Holtztechnik- complements the natural surroundings. It also makes us
proud to carry out projects that respect and enhance the natural
environment as much as possible.
OUTCOME
What do you think children will enjoy the most of this play area?
The best thing about this park is that it’s not only for children,
it’s for the whole family and community! Apart from the diverse
selection of equipment that children have to play with, there are also
picnic benches and plenty of space for adults to sit and relax, making
the perfect space for a family day out. There is also plenty space for
community events to take place alongside the play area.
Is the customer happy with the result? What are their comments?
Carol Sneddon and Jan Barker, from the Friends of Cuthill community group say:
“We
are really happy with the way Jupiter Play interpreted our brief and
carried out the installation. The play equipment was installed quickly
and we were pleased with the solutions that Jupiter Play came up with.
It’s lovely to see families driving from all over Prestonpans to bring
their children, and the ones living closest have been going daily over
the Easter holidays. We would definitely recommend Jupiter Play to other
community groups”.
Today we had our first work day of the year at the community garden. There was a mountain of topsoil which has now shrunk significantly & been relocated to more useful areas; and some weeding was completed.
And, on a side note, our new telescope has been installed at the top of the hill.
Starting to dig:
We had 4 LDS (Mormon) missionaries hard at work helping to move the mountain:
And even a teenager helping rake the seating mound by the fire pit:
More soil moving - filling raised bed 6:
Levelling bed 6:
We were grateful for the missionaries' strength!
Relocated log seating:
And then it hailed, & we kept working!
A good few hours of work :)
Many thanks to all who came, & especially to Elders Barney, de Vries, Platt & Erickson.
Next work day is April 25th, 11-1pm. Everyone is welcome - and it's not just strenuous soil-moving tasks; we have all types of jobs needing to be completed.
The play area is looking so good! Just waiting for the slide to arrive in the next few days, & then the swings & scramble nets to be hung.
East Lothian Council have also assessed the Tarmac & decided to resurface that too, so the whole play area will look brand new. Special thanks go to Dougie Fox & Stuart Pryde of ELC for being so supportive, on the ball & responsive throughout this whole process.
How things look now:
And the view from near the top of the hill (Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, just visible on the skyline).
