The area of St Augustines Green off Bixley Road in Ipswich had experienced problems in recent years, becoming run down and in need of a refresh.
The Council was looking to make the best use of the space, whilst accommodating children and adults of all ages to create a pleasant, interactive hub for the community. After the Council received a government grant, Sutcliffe Play was briefed to create three distinct areas for toddlers, juniors and adults to enjoy.
The Toddler space needed to be bright and vibrant, with plenty of play opportunities designed to stimulate the imagination and encourage explorative, active play. For the Juniors area, we were asked to consider an exhilarating, energetic space for young children, whilst for the Adult space, the priority was to create a space for physical fitness and exercise.
Aligning with the brief, we created three unique spaces for children and adults at St Augustines.
As one of the first sites to have the Body’s fitness equipment range installed, we recommended a complete selection of fitness units for the adult space, designed to work almost every part of the body for a full outdoor gym experience.
Durable and easy to use, a selection of equipment modelled on traditional gym kit includes the Rower, Leg Press and Stepper, with additional items such as the Air Skier, designed to work the muscles in the hip belt, and Pull Down Challenger, to strengthen the muscles in the arms.
A colourful, vibrant space was created for toddlers to enjoy, featuring a wide variety of stimulating and inclusive play equipment from standalone items to multi-play units.
In addition to the Dice Play Panel, Sensory Flower, Country Town Mini Panel and Ladybird Springie, among other items, the Mushroom Village & Igloo was selected to encourage inclusive activities and social interaction.
Featuring a two-sided design with frozen arctic scenery and a mushroom house, the Mushroom Village & Igloo unit includes themed panelling, a tree house, slide and climbing ramp, for children of a range of abilities to enjoy side-by-side.
The Two Turrets unit was also installed, complementing the rest of the space, with opportunities for toddlers to play freely on this castle-themed kit that comes with a slide, rope bridge, and two separate turrets.
For the Juniors area, it was important to get the balance right; encouraging exercise with more challenging units designed to stimulate and get young children moving and exploring. The Cableway from the Mission range, provided the perfect, high-flying experience for children, being both exhilarating and fun.
A Mission Multi-play Unit was also recommended, with plenty of features such as bannister rails, climbing walls and platforms to keep children engaged. This was complemented by a Nest Swing, to accommodate children of varying abilities, and a Single Point Swing, which gives children the opportunity for more organic play, can be used for up to five children – encouraging social interaction – and also provides a more gentle motion when needed, for fully inclusive play sessions.
With a unique look and feel for each space, Sutcliffe Play created the perfect hub for local children and families to enjoy, with an activity to suit all needs and abilities for a true community space.