What is Play Pathfinder?
In 2008, The Learning Trust was awarded £2.6 million over 3 years by the Department of Children, Schools, and Families (DCSF) to build a large supervised adventure playground and to develop 28 public play areas across the borough. Up to £50,000 will be spent on each play area under the Play Pathfinder.

The current status
Phase 1 of the Pathfinder (March 2008 to March 2009) is currently seeing the improvement of 12 play areas around Hackney. Phase 2 of the Pathfinder (March 2009 to March 2010) will see a minimum of 16 improved and new play areas throughout the borough.

The Learning Trust has compiled a long list of proposed locations for Phase 2 thanks to survey results from residents carried out throughout the last six months and is currently in the process of identifying the final 16 sites, which should be announced mid-May.

Where will the new playgrounds be built?
We have asked residents, Parks services, Hackney Homes, Housing and Regeneration services, Schools, Tenant Resident Associations, and Housing Associations to nominate areas for the new playgrounds. They do not have to be designated play areas. They should be public spaces which will be used by all ages which would benefit from adding something for young people to enjoy the space more.  In particular, the provision for 8 – 13 year olds will be improved.

How can I nominate a site for a new or improved playground?
If you have not been able to nominate a site, please email Daniel Fitzpatrick

Why are we investing in play?
Play is an important part of every child’s development and essential both to their health and happiness. The DCSF programme is part of central government’s agenda, recently highlighted in its Children’s Plan, to improve play opportunities for children and young people. This is to ensure children enjoy their childhood. This has also been reflected in the Hackney Play Strategy 2007 – 2012, where objectives include improving the access that local children have to new and improved play environments.

Pathfinder playgrounds will be better playgrounds
We want the pathfinder playgrounds to be more innovative, exciting and interesting than the average playgrounds in the borough. We want challenging equipment for a variety of ages with a focus on natural features such as water, rocks and landscaping, as well as areas where children and young people can relax. The design guidelines will be based on Play England’s guide Design for Play. This guide sets out a new approach to creating successful play spaces that we want to promote in Hackney.

What’s happening ?

Information on completed Phase 1 sites will be available on this site in the coming weeks.

Phase 2 sites will include new play areas, which may need more time for planning permission.  Once the sites have been chosen, we want local children and communities to get involved in the design and in some cases, the construction or planting of their play areas.  

Creating more and better spaces for young people
We will also be working together with other departments in the council who want to connect children and young people with better open and play spaces. Neighbourhoods and Regeneration completed a survey of Open spaces, which we have been using to locate potential areas of play deprivation and Streetscene (Traffic services), have a programme of road safety provision, building of cycle paths and strategic walking routes, which we will also try to use to locate new play areas in places which children will find accessible and safe.

For further information please contact:

Childcare and Play
The Learning Trust
1 Reading Lane
Hackney
London
E8 1GQ