The Covid-19 pandemic showed us the best, and at times, the worst aspects of our communities, with people pulling together to help those around them when they were isolated and couldn’t get out for basic shopping. Helping the elderly who were too afraid to leave their homes by collecting prescriptions and even walking their dogs were jobs community members took on with gusto.
And when the children went back to school, some helped with childcare needs, taking children to the local park to play on the outdoor play equipment there due to lack of childcare provision elsewhere. Of course, this isn’t the story everywhere, but overall, most communities certainly tried to get to know each other better, help each other a little more and care a lot more about the areas they call home and the people that live there.
At PlayEquip, one of our main clienteles are councils requiring equipment for playgrounds and community recreational grounds. We believe that providing a space for play and exercise is not only essential for children, but for neighbourhoods also. There are a multitude of advantages a playground can offer a community, some of which can be completely overlooked, but have profound impacts.
The humble community playground – why outdoor playground equipment brings us together For many children with no outdoor space at home, the local playground is an essential outdoor space, and one that the earlier part of the pandemic lockdowns saw being closed to the public. These spaces offer a vital place for children to get out and expend some energy, be active and enjoy the fresh air. But they offer a lot more than just that.
They are a place where children of all ages can meet up with their friends and make new friends. On a wider scale as part of a local park, they offer a green space at the centre of every community where people of all ages can enjoy being outside. More modern playgrounds don’t just offer playground equipment. Skateable objects and parkour obstacles also attract older children and young adults. The interaction with subcultures such as skateboarders, strengthen the local community even further by bringing people together that might not otherwise ever interact.
For the new mum with a toddler moving into the area, they can be a place to meet other parents and form some friendships. They offer a place for children, and parents, to unwind after the school day and at weekends and school holidays.
The parks where these community playgrounds are often situated provide somewhere for older people to safely walk their dogs and interact with other people – often the only time in the day they might speak to others.
Promotion of Creativity
As you may have read in previous posts or observed within our bespoke project, at PlayEquip we like to design and build structures that encourage open ended play. There is nothing more creative than a child’s imagination so to build a playground within your community is a great way to boost creativity for each child. Something that may be seen as an artistic quality is in fact a life skill that we draw on throughout life, not to mention an essential part of childhood and their development.
A community playground provides the perfect environment to not only physically exercise but also creatively and mentally exercise for children too.
A Safe Space
A community playground or recreational area can provide a great space for families and friends to meet up and feel safe. Although it has been noted that with a higher population density there brings a higher crime rate it has been found that within urban communities a playground can actually help to bring a neighbourhood together.
With an increase of visitors to a park and positive community activities research has found that the safety of not only the park, but the neighbourhood goes up. Put simply, an exciting, well built community park will attract families which will in turn detract negative behaviour and create a great safe place.
Environmental 
Aside from the health and social aspects that a community playground can offer there a number of other benefits to be had from a playground of this type.
When a playground is placed in a park or area with some grass and trees, no matter how small, it benefits the environment, providing a place for birds and small animals to live and creating a better, enriched environment for the entire community to enjoy.
Raising Property Value
Whilst a playground can provide a great place to visit in a community, it can also have a significant and often forgotten economic impact on the community they serve. This comes in the form of the
recreational facility that they provide for both young and old alike and also the value that it can add to the local properties including any that are adjacent to the playground by way of passing revenue.
This also runs true for local businesses – community playgrounds automatically boosts an area’s popularity and footfall. Regardless of a community’s economic standing, it has been shown that by adding a playground or recreational area almost any area benefits with increased foot traffic. It can truly transform an area from a quiet, nondescript town into a friendly, welcoming neighbourhood drawing in families, businesses and much more.
At PlayEquip we believe in the real value that a quality playground and quality outdoor play equipment can offer to its surrounding area. If you would like to know more about the products we can provide your community with then why not give us a call?
(+44) 0177 383 0069
