Work to commence on €250,000 playground at Griffeen Valley Park
By Brendan Grehan
WORK IS to start on a €250,000 playground in Griffeen Valley Park in Lucan after Easter.
It is expected that the playground will be up an running by the school summer holidays.
Creative Play Solutions won the tender to build the playground after a consultative process last year.
A period of consultation was carried out last year between April 29 and May 13. This included five site visits by council officials, contact with local primary schools and creches, 160 completed questionnaires and conversation with the playground users.
The research showed that there was an equally high demand for both an adventure play area and a traditional playground.
Climbing was the most popular activity but the majority of respondents ticked most boxes indicating that all of the play activities listed are equally important and should be included in the new playground.
When asked about what style of play facility was desirable results showed a strong preference for modern wooden equipment in a landscaped setting. Less than 20 per cent of people favoured metallic equipment like what presently exists on site.
People expected that Griffeen playground will be like Marlay Park, Malahide Castle, Cabinteeley Park, Ardgillan Castle and other well-known playgrounds across Dublin.
The brief for designers called for an increase in size of the playground, additional equipment, a modern open plan design with more free play and active play areas, natural play areas and additional equipment for children aged 6 to 12.
The winning tender from Creative Play Solutions met all of the criteria in the brief.
It scored very highly in every category including play value, quality of equipment, ease of maintenance and design for children with disabilities.
The site survey work and Health and Safety documentation is currently being undertaken.
Works are due to commence following the Easter break and are scheduled to be completed prior to the summer break.
Local Councillor William Lavelle welcomed the news.
He said:”It’s great to hear. Its going to be a great playground and it will be up and running by the summer holidays.”
