At Sutcliffe Play, we’re proud of our reputation as a nationwide play designer and manufacturer, but in early 2025, a site much closer to home required a substantial upgrade. The play space at Dunderdale Recreation Ground, down the road from our head office in Upton, West Yorkshire had grown tired, and required a thorough regeneration. As a proud Yorkshire business from our very beginning, we were delighted to partner with Wakefield Council to tackle this challenge.
Planning For Play!
We began by conducting a thorough site survey, before finalising a design which delivered on every aspect of the brief. In line with the park’s central location at the heart of the community, the finished space needed to possess a wide appeal, and our scheme therefore offered both educational and imaginative play features for younger children, with a dedicated ‘Toddler’ zone, as well as a range of exhilarating and physically challenging obstacles for older or more active children, with a dedicated Junior zone.
With the site’s populous suburban location, meanwhile, safety and security were fully considered at every stage in our design. The two age-dedicated zones would sit side-by-side, allowing parents and carers with children of different ages to easily monitor them across all the equipment, and we also focused on including equipment with no roofs or hiding areas, to reduce opportunities for anti-social behaviour from older children.
Another of our guiding principles on this project was ensuring that the finished space welcomed all children, including those with disabilities. This was realised most visibly with a new, central 1.5m wide pathway, which was made from sustainable Playtop with Nike grind surfacing (a mixture of recycled Nike rubber trainers and EPDM rubber), and installed in a contrasting green colour, to aid those with visual impairments. As well as neatly demarking the two age-dedicated zones, the pathway offers a durable, wheelchair-friendly surface for those with limited mobility to traverse the entire space.
We also included many pieces of single-user equipment, allowing visitors to play independently if they wish (which can be particularly important for children with autism), and a newly installed combi-gate (which can be opened far wider than the previous one) offers much more accessibility for wheelchairs and buggies – and quite literally broadens the new space’s appeal.
Fun For All!
But the most important element of any playground is, of course, an exciting selection of stimulating equipment, and Dunderdale Recreation Ground more than delivers on this:
The new Toddler zone is full of engagement for younger children. The centrepiece is our Quadrangle multi-play, an inclusive 4 tower unit which offers 18 play features to children under 5, including a stainless-steel slide, 3 shuffle decks, a ladder, a mini climbing wall, and 4 play panels (3 of which are useable from outside the unit).
Elsewhere, a range of smaller pieces complete this area. Spinning fun is afforded by our Curlicue, a simple spiral which utilises the user’s changing centre of gravity to propel them around, and our Flywheel Roundabout, a multiuser spinner with a large central seating area, which can seat up to six users aged 3 and over. The latter also contributes towards the inclusivity of the space, as its low-level access points enable side transfer from wheelchairs, and its bright yellow finish aids users with limited vision.
Likewise, our single-user Ladybird Springie possesses ergonomic upright rubber handles for excellent grip, and its open fronted design, tactile handholds, and padded seat deliver bouncing fun for children of all ability levels. Nearby, a number of our colourful caterpillar-themed Wriggler pieces, set at different heights and paired with one of our Stepping Pods, offer seating, trim trail or balancing play for up to 6 young users.
On the other side of the pathway, in the dedicated Junior zone, an array of exciting equipment brings exhilarating fun for older children. Our Quad Climber frame is the biggest and most dominant piece in this area, a 4-tower multi-play unit designed for up to 25 children aged 4+ years, with 15 challenging activities and a number of decks measuring 1m wide, to allow for parents and carers. Nearby, the similarly named Quad Flyer (a fast-moving overhead spinner with four user stations) inspires older children to produce diverse movements which strengthen the upper body.
Two smaller pieces complete the space: our Hula rotator roundabout is based around a suspended hoop (with the user positioning themselves inside, while another spins the unit), and crucially, it can also be used alone. Likewise, our challenging Wipe Out balance board, designed in a surfboard shape for up to 2 children aged 8-15, tests balance and co-ordination.
Set apart from these two zones, a dedicated swing area is also reachable by the wet pour path. Three of our extendable Modular Swing Frames host a thrilling range of seats for children of all ages and abilities, including two comfortable, body-hugging Cradle Seats, two Flat Seats for a more traditional experience, and an open, inclusive Nest Seat, able to accommodate multiple children for a fulfilling communal experience.
Exceeding Expectations
Gary Sherrington, Projects Officer for Wakefield Council, said:
‘Sutcliffe Play has been one of our main play installers over the last 30 years, with proven experience in the play industry. We value the robustness of their equipment, and were very satisfied with their design and implementation.
Previously, this area had a significant lack of play provision, so the positive impact has been immediate, and the new playground has brought the community together – we’ve already received great feedback about the way the play value flows throughout the space, and how it reaches out to all school age children. From tender submission to sign off, the whole experience was very satisfying with excellent end results!’
We’re always delighted to have the chance to revitalise a play space so near to our West Yorkshire home – and the successful completion of this project, as well as the fantastic reception from our client and the community, concludes the latest chapter in our long history as a proud Yorkshire business.
