Warning! Shards of glass in baby/toddler area of 9-acres pla

Thu 21 Dec 2006, 13:38

Oh, heavens Derek - don't get me wrong about the reason for the USA import - it wasn't a comment aimed at Finstockians!! Not at all!! Sorry to give the wrong impression!

It was aimed at the broader question of why British industry and providers of play equipment couldn't "compete" for whatever reason. Whether that be facilities and design and cost factors, in whatever balance of price, quality and involvement in design.

Physically, after all, its basically just wood, paint, recycled plastics and elbow grease. But coupled with some good design elements well thought through (these latter bits being the most difficult to achieve of course!).

Or even a reason might have been a willingness on the part of the makers of the equipment (and from what I hear in fact an eagerness) to work with local helpers in a substantially self-build exercise.

Which of course would markedly increase the vital community benefits of "ownership" of the facilities. It is a well known fact cough that such "ownership" brought about by participation and engagement in construction etc. reduces by a huge amount problems of wanton vandalism and destructiveness. This is a factor NOT to be lightly dismissed.

Perhaps it was the Yank "can do" attitude and willingness to work with volunteers from the community that swayed the decision? After over 30 years here I STILL can't stand or get used to the depressingly common negative "find reasons and criticsms for Can't Do" mentality that plagues the English mentality.

Problems arise: solve them! There is almost invariably a "way".

I think Charlbury desperately needs to upgrade its active physical play facilities for the 0-12 or so age group (or whatever age it is seen as beneath the dignity of a child to climb around or up things etc.).

The current playground is now looking very tired and old fashioned. Though having said that its still better than a lot around small towns and villages! But such "relativism" mustn't be an excuse for inaction to do something more creative. This isn't overall a poor town, a lot of people with young families or planning on starting families within the next few years have a lot of disposable income compared to a generation back, and would reap the benefits.

PS I like the Finstock swings too :-) Good Job.

PPS What the playground really needs is a ruddy good windbreak! In the chill winter weather, it doesn't seem to matter which direction the clouds are going overhead, the wind seems to be always right in ones face and cutting whilst the aging parents/grandparents stand and go hypothermic whilst the sproggets rush about in fleeces or less... Must be the shape of the valley or something.

I reckon we could put up a few big wind turbines at the top of Charlbury and have them milling around most of the time. There is ALWAYS significant movement of the treetops by our house along the edge of Hundley Way, some particular localised topographic effect... might be worth a few rooftop windmills along this row of houses!