Play was a key feature in a National Lottery Heritage & Community Funded renovation project for Scarborough Borough Council. The project aims to preserve the gardens’ unique heritage and improve them in a way that will reconnect with today’s residents and visitors. Work included the creation of a new, innovative, and extremely unique children’s play area, which aims to inspire play, encouraging visitors with children to spend more time enjoying the gardens and enhancing their borough-wide appeal as a go to location within the town.
The site at South Cliff Gardens had exciting play potential with variation of open and treed areas, as well as fantastic topography. We endeavoured to harness and utilise the spirit of the site to create a unique play offer. Through the careful design of bespoke elements set in the dramatic landscape, we wanted to create an eye-catching draw to the gardens. The designs consist of historical references to existing and lost architectural features such as the Paxton Observation Tower. Other structures borrow from the rich Victorian architecture found throughout the gardens. Ramps, walkways, and ladders link the tower and play structures together.
There is SEN play through the sand pit and quiet area, and natural play in the Adventure Trail. Most importantly we wanted to create a play area that is fun and accessible for all to experience and enjoy. Both the Paxton tower and Victorian tower are accessible on the top level via the footpath, this was designed specifically for wheelchair users to access the structures. In the middle section of the play area, the adventure trail has a double width accessible slide and easy route back to the path. Even though the site has limitations in terms of accessibility we believe we have developed a scheme that is relevant to and challenges all abilities, ages and levels of mobility.
