Barkston & Syston Playing Fields Committee wanted to refurbish the existing play area with wooden equipment to complement the rural setting. The new equipment would cater for children of all ages, providing a fun and safe place for families to play together. The design was required to be sustainable and encourage social interaction and physical development through a wide range of play features and activities.
The existing surfacing and dilapidated equipment was removed and replaced with the Orchard range of play equipment, which dramatically changed the overall look of the play area. Orchard is a range of environmentally friendly play equipment which encourages physical and imaginative play and social interaction. The wood-based units have been designed to complement rural locations such as Barkston & Syston. The play area now features a broad range of robust timber equipment including a Trim Trail which offers a variety of challenges to suit all ages and abilities.
Orchard trim trail elements are designed to create bespoke circuits and courses of all sizes. A mixture of balancing, climbing, traversing and sport activities result in an exciting trail with a breadth of challenge.
The Jungle Bridge and Balance Walk create low level play activities, suitable for younger children, which aid in the development of balance and co-ordination skills. The Hand Over Hand and Stepping Posts complete the trail, with more challenging play for juniors.
The design also features an Orchard Teepee unit, designed to encourage high-energy, invigorating play for juniors. Compact in design, it offers testing physical play opportunities focusing on climbing, traversing, and descending in unique ways.
”The Orchard range was very attractive to us as it catered for the age range we were targeting, the equipment options suited the play themes that we felt were most appealing and also the site layout. As with many projects budget was a constraint but by working with the Sutcliffe Play representative we managed to secure a full renewal of our play area as opposed to a part redevelopment which was our original aim.
Throughout the project we found the team at Sutcliffe Play and their installers extremely easy to work with, once we had cleared the old site Sutcliffe Play co-ordinated the installation activity and handed over the completed play area. The play area was opened in the Spring of 2016 and was an instant hit with local children”.
Simon Kelly, Barkston and Syston Parish Council
