On Tuesday Basildon councillors descended on Langdon Hills Recreation Ground to officially open the new play area, half of a £250,000 project to revamp the park areas in Langdon Hills and Vange.
The area known locally as “The Rec” now includes a pirate ship with slide and tunnel as well as the usual roundabouts and swings. Apart from a few elements salvaged from the previous playground, the new elements are made from natural wood sculptures with sand and grass to soften the area instead of the previous soft tarmac.
While the younger kids will enjoy the tradiitional elements of the park, some of the teenagers from the area have already started to make use of the large tree-stumps to practice backflips into the sand. These and other tricks form the current freerunning and parkour craze fueled by videos on Youtube.
While the construction work was ongoing there were complaints about some children breaking into the area. In the last few weeks the construction workers had been allowing them in during the evening. At one point the police turned up and took names of some children in the park. According to a council worker no real harm was done in Langdon Hills except that some barriers were knocked down overnight. The identical playground in Vange has not fared so well with significant vandalism affecting the area during building.
There have been concerns raised about the long standing problem in the area with people entering the park late at night on Fridays and Saturdays. They often arrive in cars after pub closing and use the area for late drinking time. Often broken bottles and even syringes and condoms are left to be found in the morning. With the potential dangers caused by hidden glass in the sand the locals hope the police will act to stamp out this anti-social behavior. The council worker who I spoke to this morning was well aware of these problems and has vowed to keep the place safe and clean.
I just took my two young grandsons to this area and was horrified at the lack of consideration in the design of it for younger children.
It was 9.30 a.m and already it had over 6 youths, that were far older than the area was designed for, congregating in it. A problem the previous design did not attract. I would not even have entered it if I did not have my husband with me.
There were only two items under 5 could safely use- a couple of wooden carved animals.
The reality is that no one is going to let children of the age the new park area play in unless with an adult. Adults only take younger children there.
There was not even a swing you can place a small child safely in.
The sand is not suitable, and with so many modern alternatives I question why it was use. I want to be able to see that there is not glass or other sharp items hidden in it. My daughter has told me that she has already found animal droppings in there! Everyone knows cats love a sand pit!
Even one of the constructions has a long looping chain hanging down. This is as dangerous as a roller blind cord. Do we wait for the first death for it to be removed!
I cannot believe that such a dangerous, poorly considered design was approved and I am very disappointed that whoever commissioned this thought it was a real improvement. They obviously did not consult the main users of the area.
The changes made to this park are a huge change to how the park was previously. It is a very poor design for toddlers though. It is mainly aimed at older children. As there aren’t even any swings to put babies or young toddlers in safely. Rather disgusted really as the park is at the end of my road and my 2 year old had been there many times before and now the change to the park has happened it really isn’t safe for my toddler. The slide is too unsafe for light, younger children too, as my daughter twisted accidentally whilst coming down the slide and came flying off at the end, face first into the sand. Which could of had dangerous, sharp objects in. As it is mainly aimed at children who are a lot older I shall definitely avoid the park during school holidays when it would be more dangerous for toddler than it already is.
You should write to the council with your criticisms and some constructive ideas about how the park could be improved for toddlers. It would not cost much to put in some safety seats on one of the swings for example.