The playground on School Crescent in Crewe required a major makeover in order to offer the most exciting play opportunities to local children. Funding for this transformation was provided from the Cheshire East Pocket Parks project, which aimed to improve a number of parks in the area. We were delighted to help realise this ambition by bringing a brand-new play space to School Crescent with an innovative range of challenging, inclusive equipment which would thrill visitors.
A community consultation had previously taken place, which sought the opinions of local people on how each of the play parks should develop. Inclusive equipment, including accessible swings and sensory play items, was highly desired for its appeal to neurodivergent and disabled children, and more high-quality equipment for toddlers was also a key demand. After undertaking an in-depth site survey, we finalised a design which adhered to these findings as well as every requirement of the brief provided by our client, ANSA Environmental Services. We were proud to work constructively with partners in the private sector, and demonstrate the same high levels of expertise as those offered to our most frequent collaborators in local government.
The project required all of our versatility and innovation: we removed the existing equipment in the nearby multi-use games area (MUGA), and refreshed it with new fencing, goal ends, cricket wickets and hoops, as well as new thermoplastic markings for an array of other sports. Meanwhile, before our new equipment could be safely installed in the area beside the MUGA, many of the existing units needed to be safely removed. The area was then given a full transformation with wetpour surfacing, including graphics which complemented specific pieces of equipment.
The new items have been carefully selected to give this expansive play space the very broadest appeal, and the finished site provides over 47 exciting, inclusive play features for at least 52 children. After completing our hard work, we were thrilled to join local representatives and our partners from ANSA at a fantastic grand opening in August 2024, to introduce the community to the fantastic array of exciting new products.
The most eye-catching amongst them comes in the form of our Vortex metal climbing frame (part of our eye-catching Neo range). Sporting a striking lime green gloss alongside a metallic grey, with ropes finished in jet black, it boasts 7 play features for users aged 8 and over. A central rubber disc is suspended between two decks, requiring co-ordination to move from deck to deck, and entry to the unit is facilitated by a Bow ladder between two curved frames, a Bow climber with a rope featuring climbing nodules, and a ‘camo’ climber offering a mini climbing wall experience.
Equally challenging experiences are delivered with our surfboard shaped ‘Wipe Out’ balance rocker, providing balancing adventures for two users between 8 and 15, whilst our Space Trainer Rotator offers a dynamic spinning sensation for users aged 8 to 16, and its green HPL and grey metal aesthetic complements the Vortex and provides an attractive visual consistency to the whole space.
Elsewhere, our Sutcliffe Express unit, which takes the form of a colourful train, offers 9 play features to encourage imaginative and social play, including a cylindrical tunnel, a cab with wheel and carriages to the rear, and a metal slide. It’s also accompanied by a train tracks wetpour graphic, as well as our MiniTown Train Station panel, where users can play buying and selling tickets, and utilise moveable clock hands and traffic lights.
We also worked tirelessly to deliver on the desire for more inclusivity for disabled children. Our bright and colourful Emoji Discus features an accessible shape on a slight incline, allowing up to 3 children of all abilities to spin together, whilst our colourful Ladybird Springie possesses ergonomic upright rubber handles for excellent grip, and its open fronted design delivers easy access and bouncing fun for children of all ability levels. Our Four Way Seesaw has also been specifically constructed with inclusivity at the forefront, accommodating parents and carers as well as children.
A range of multi-sensory equipment solidifies the site’s appeal to families with neurodivergent children – our 0.89m high Shape Shifter displays six shapes across its petals which can be incorporated into games utilising matching wetpour shapes. Likewise, our Sound Flower panel is filled with ball bearings for an audio effect when spun, and its black on white swirl design makes for an eye-catching optical illusion.
Finally, a fantastic mixture of swing seats on our new frames delivers a classic play experience – a two-bay frame features two bumper seats with rounded edges, as well as a rubber nest seat with an inclusive birds’ nest design. A second frame, our 2.4m high swing, offers a specially designed Inclusive Swing Seat for children with increased access requirements, two Cradle Seats, and a tango seat, allowing two visitors of any age to swing face-to-face.
Edward Yoxall, Parks Technical Officer at ANSA Environmental Services, said: ‘The play area and MUGA at School Crescent have been transformed – the play equipment and improvements were delivered in challenging conditions, on time and to a good quality.’
Our hard work, innovation and creativity have revitalised this community play space, gifting local families a brilliant new destination park right on their doorstep. Its mixture of excellent inclusive products and dynamic challenging equipment, as well as the refreshed MUGA with its options for sports and games, coalesce to form a playground with huge appeal to children of all ages and ability levels. We couldn’t be more excited for local children to discover and enjoy it for many years to come.
