Vitalitätstraining für Jung und Alt - Playground@Landscape

Foto:Photocase ///Juttaschnecke
Inspiring Play for 25 years
As the Association of Play Industries (API) celebrates 2009 its milestone
25 year anniversary, its crucial role as the leading trade body within the
play sector has become ever more significant.
Politically impartial, and with a wealth of knowledge and experience, the API aims to
provide a united play-industry voice and has worked hard to form and develop close relations
with government partners and relevant national bodies. Having developed a
sound working relationship with the DCSF and Play England, the API are consulted on
a range of important industry issues – a liaison the API are keen to maintain and develop
going forward.
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Design
One of the biggest challenges for the API lies in one of its aims; to promote good play
space design, installation and workmanship industry-wide, and its members fully
support the ‘Design for Play’ guide published by the DCSF and endorsed by the DCMS
and communicated through Play England. This is an aspirational document which moves
the previous guidance forward positively.
The current debate within the industry surrounding external unsupervised play provision
it not as simple as some would have us believe, with terms such as KFC (Kit, Fence and
Carpet) now replaced with ‘Natural Play’ and GMPs (Grass Mounds and Plants) identified
as examples of what is needed today to liberate our children’s play provision.
The API and its members have always recognised that play spaces must reflect their
environments, and this can be seen through the diversity of designs delivered by its
members.
Play spaces delivered under the LAP, LEAP and NEAP guidance are not all “bland
playgrounds which restrict children’s creativity” as stated by some, but are a reflection
of what was considered as practical and sustainable by clients operating with severely
limited capital and revenue budgets. These authorities should be praised for continuing
to invest in and appreciate the importance of free play provision for their communities.
Moving this agenda forward sustainability is an essential part of the PlayBuilder and
PathFinder agenda, with the current investments needing to build on the past and not
destroy the good work carried out by prior guidance and commitments.
Risk in Play
Playground equipment should be safe yet challenging and stimulating. The API puts
this statement at the forefront of its thinking when working on the various programmes
and funding that can help local authorities achieve this balance.
The API was acknowledged for its invaluable input in the ‘ Managing Risk in Play
Provision’ guidance published by the DCSF and endorsed by the DCMS.
Procurement
When looking at play procurement and supply, it’s important to think about lines of liability.
The key to a successful contract is to ensure there are clear lines of responsibility.
API members are specialists in play space design and delivery; they are responsible
for more than 2000 play spaces per year and have developed methods and processes
that work. Yes there are large engineering projects where qualified project management
is essential, but in the main, play spaces are delivered on limited budgets which cannot
justify separate costs for the design and project management.
API members typically offer a free design service and have between £10m and £40m
worth of live quotations, some of which can be up to five years old. With an average
value of £30K per site, many API member companies each have a current investment
of between £1.5m and £6m in play space designs. These free designs and quotes provide
an invaluable service supporting all those authorities interested in delivering play
schemes from: community groups, parish councils and private projects to the larger organisations
such as councils, corporate organisations, landscape architects and builders.
All this happens long before a contract or any guarantee of payment is agreed
and often, the project is still at a competitive shortlist stage. (www.api-play.org)