One of the city’s most popular play areas is set for a complete refit, creating a new adventure playground for children of all ages to enjoy.
Work will start during the week beginning 7 September to replace the play equipment at The Level with an exciting new facility. The current play equipment, which was installed in 2012 as part of the park’s restoration, has reached the end of its life.
Funded with section 106 developer contributions, the £300,000 playground has been designed using feedback from residents who took part in a consultation last May, sharing their priorities and views on the new playground proposals.
Councillor Alan Robins, Cabinet Member for Sports, Recreation and Libraries, said: “The Level play area is one of the best loved and most popular in the city, but its constant use means it’s time for an upgrade.
“We are thrilled to unveil this exciting new design for a safe, accessible and welcoming play area which will meet the needs of children and families for many years to come.”
The work will be carried out by Proludic Ltd which was appointed following a competitive tender process, to work with the council’s Cityparks team to design and deliver the project.
Highlights include a new dedicated toddler space with climbing, sliding, spinning and rocking items, a playhouse and sensory items. Older children can explore a more challenging area with a large tower unit and climbing features, a long tube-slide, Ninja Warrior ramp and horizontal bars.
Accessibility and inclusivity will be enhanced with a flush roundabout, a multi-play unit with wide steps, a wheelchair-transferable pod swing and bucket seat, along with multiple sensory play panels.
Clearer sightlines, and more spaces for games and families to play together, have been incorporated into the new design following parent and carer feedback.
New “wetpour” safety surfacing will be laid throughout, making it easier to move around. The sandplay areas will be removed, as they present health and safety and maintenance issues.
The new play equipment will be made of galvanised steel, and high-pressure laminate panels, instead of wood. Steel provides better resilience in coastal locations, and needs less ongoing maintenance, while the laminate panels will be tougher, easier to clean and less prone to overheating.
Where possible, the removed equipment and other features, such as fencing, will be recycled and re-used. Some of the plants in the play area will be relocated to other areas at The Level or other city parks.
Residents can find out more and view the plans at a community engagement event at The Level this Thursday (27 August) between 3pm and 6pm.
During the works, the fenced play area will be closed. However, visitors will still be able to use the rest of the park, including the café kiosk, by using other paved entranceways. Alternatively, there are parks with play facilities at Tarner Park, St Nicholas’ Church and Queens Park:
St Nicholas’ church playground – https://what3words.com/rival.vague.fake
Tarner Park – https://what3words.com/woods.slip.adults
Queens Park – https://what3words.com/stow.movies.rested
The work is expected to take around 10 weeks to complete, subject to weather conditions.
