The play ahead

SWINGS, see-saws, slides... and a climb to the top of the big metal frame to declare yourself King, or Queen, of the Castle. Some of our most cherished childhood memories will be of having fun at the local park. Remember feeling as free as a bird as you pushed yourself ever higher on the swing? Or coming down on your front at lightning speed down the slide? Over and over again.

It is easy to think of playgrounds as part of the Way We Used To Live; of a more innocent age where children spent their free time before the arrival of TV, video, computer games, the Internet - and our rising anxiety over paedophilia.

But playgrounds still have a place in 21st century life - and an important one too, when you consider the rising levels of obesity among young people stemming from their couch potato lifestyles.

York has recently unveiled a state-of-the art playground at Rowntree Park, as part of the £1.3 million Lottery-backed revamp of the Victorian landmark. The South Bank site is the jewel of the city's parks and later this year the council hopes to apply for green flag status, a national award for parks.

However, many of the smaller playparks in York need an injection of cash. Problems include broken equipment, unsuitable surfaces, litter, graffiti and the lack of a security fence, seating and rubbish bins.

One York mum feels so strongly about improving playground facilities that she has launched a new action group. Anna Semlyen, 33, a yoga teacher and mum of two-year-old Rosie, set up the York Playground Action Group on the back of winning £17,500 from her ward committee in Fishergate to spend on the local playpark in Cemetery Road.

The money will pay for new climbing equipment as well as sheltered seating; and work should be completed by the summer. A picnic party is planned at the playground for June 8, from midday to 3pm, to celebrate its revamp.

Anna is looking for more people to join the action group and take part in an audit of playparks in the city, to determine where time, effort and cash should be directed. Another aim is to establish a new playground in York city centre.

Anna said: "Quite a lot of playgrounds don't have fences, benches or bins. These are simple things which are quite easy to fix."

Another idea is for members to 'adopt a playground' and report any problems to the appropriate authority, which is not always the city council. The council runs 30 of the 76 playgrounds in York.

Anna said: "People could be a 'ranger', where they report problems or pick up litter. It doesn't sound very glamorous but it is very useful."

Holgate mum Linda Capel has joined the action group, prompted by problems at her local playground in Salisbury Road.

Linda, who has an 18-month son Conor, said: "It's not really very useable as it has hard surfaces and has been full of broken glass, which is a nightmare for toddlers. It's fallen into disrepair and doesn't look attractive. I don't think the area is used as much as it could be."

The good news is that the arrival of the action group coincides with an increase in funding for council playparks in York. Each year, the council has around £45,000 to spend on playgrounds, which covers basic maintenance. However, last year, an extra £50,000 was spent on 24 sites and this year a further £100,000 has been earmarked for improvements.

David Meigh, head of parks and open spaces at the council, said: "There is more interest in parks in the city, certainly in terms of funding and councillors are voting with their wallets."

Mr Meigh said he welcomed the action group and is working with them to explore their request to establish a central playground for York.

He also supports the idea of the action group establishing a network of 'friends' to act as the 'eyes and ears' of playgrounds in the city. This might help secure a speedier solution to problems such as broken glass and vandalism.

At the moment, council playgrounds are only checked once a week, so such problems can linger for a few days. If residents were encouraged to report problems as they found them, the council could act more quickly.

The city's renewed interest in parks and playgrounds is part of a national trend, he added. "Parks have fallen out of fashion over the past 30 years for a number of reasons. The increase in car ownership made it easier for people to travel and the rise of sports and leisure centres also had an impact."

However, he said, as part of the Government's commitment to urban generation, parks were in vogue again. Which has got to be good news for families across the city. And it could be the right time for the campaign to establish a new central playground in York.

Anna certainly hopes so. She sees play areas as a lifeline - a safe space where parents, grandparents or carers can take children to let off steam and where the adults can have a bit of a rest.

She said: "Being a parent is exhausting. It's full on and going to a play area is like taking a break."

But, she added, play areas also provide other benefits to children.

"Kids are getting fatter because they are being driven everywhere. They need an hour of activity a day and at least half an hour of sunshine, but very few children get that in our society. Play also builds up skills in children and confidence in their abilities."

The latest project for the action group is to lobby the council over the soft play area and creche at the Barbican Centre, which is threatened under redevelopment proposals.

Anna said the prospect of losing such a community facility made the case for a new central playground even stronger.

She said: "In the centre of York, we need space we can take our children. Most of the houses are terraced and the gardens are not big enough for play. We can't let our kids play by the river as it is a major hazard. Rowntree Park floods and is full of goose poo.

"Our climate isn't brilliant, but most days you can get out to push someone on a swing. And if children are happy, then parents are happy."

How to join

It costs £1 to join the York Playground Action Group. If you would like to join, or take part in the audit of playparks, or would like advice on bidding at your ward committee for funds for your local playground, contact Anna on 01904 654355 or email: anna@yogainyork.co.uk

The action group will be holding its next meeting on Sunday, April 27 at 8.15pm. Call Anna for more details.

Updated: 09:01 Tuesday, April 08, 2003