When my husband and I moved to Portishead some years ago with a 1 year old, we were delighted with the play area at the Lakegrounds. What’s not to like? A large park area with a fence right around it to deter my young son and his friends from exploring the nearby lake. Toddler swings, a pirate ship to test out his developing climbing skills and when he was a little older those swirly things they go round and round in (making me feel nauseous just watching him) were guaranteed to make him laugh his socks off.
Over the years, the cafe next door has also been called upon many times for coffees, ice creams and the odd breakfast or lunch.
And last but certainly not least, I would never underestimate the value of having public loos on hand. Having three children now, I hate to think how much time I have spent inside the adjacent public amenities over the years!
As little ones, all my children have had masses of great fresh-air-fun at the Lakegrounds and as a parent, the surrounding facilities have made it a preferred local destination.
Almost eight years on, however, our visits have become rarer. With sons aged 8,6 and 3 the facilities don’t meet our needs so well any more.
My older boys prefer the challenge of something high to climb – such as the fabulous constructions at Blaise & Hengrove Park . .
. . . a skate ramp for their scooters or bikes – Salthouse Fields is their current favourite,
the adrenalin rush of a zip wire or a space which caters for a variety of ages like the fabulous water park at Weston-super-Mare.
Sadly they are outgrowing the Lakegrounds and now we often find ourselves driving outside of Portishead for age appropriate play areas.
So when I received the following letter from another local Mum I was somewhat shocked.
Dear Practically Perfect Mums
I am a Portishead mum of 2 and I, along with quite a few friends and fellow parents, have recently set up a campaign group to question North Somerset’s Council recent decision to reject £30,000 of funding already available from Portishead Town Council to provide more play equipment at the Lake Grounds to cater for the over 7’s.
I have been in contact with NSC and Portishead TC and my friends and I have decided that the best way to approach what we think is a poor decision, is to carry out a short survey with the residents of Portishead to gauge local opinion i.e. to find out whether other residents think that the Lake Grounds is already ‘adequately equipped’ (the official reason from NSC as to why the funding was turned down).
We are asking for feedback from residents and then we will present this to NSC and PTC so that at least they will have some evidence upon which to base their decision rather than basing it on opinions (NSC did not carry out a consultation prior to rejecting the funding so we are presuming that they have little or no evidence to support/ oppose their decision).
We are hoping to have a article in next week’s (w/c 17 Sept) North Somerset Times that will explain how and where to access the survey: could we place it on your website as well to allow a wide range of residents to air their views?
I look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your time.
Regards,
Sarah Jackson
(Mum to 3 year and 7 year old boys!)
Here’s the online survey. I have completed it myself and it only took me a few minutes. If you would like to have your say – in confidence – just follow the link below.
https://bristol.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_1TZUJhzqKQksGRD (Update: Survey now closed)
The supporting Survey consent sheet below provides more information for anyone who wants to know more about the survey and what happens to the data supplied
If you would like to leave a public comment on this website, you can do so in the box below.
Do you think there is adequate provision and enjoy the Lakegrounds as it is?
Do you feel that the facilities suit the age/s of your child/ren?
Do you think that as a rapidly growing town Portishead deserves a play area suitable for a wider range of children?
Whatever your viewpoint we would be interested in hearing YOUR views.
We would like to invite you to a bloggers event @Googlecampus on Monday 20th January. myKidsy is a new website which was launched last November. Our aim is to simplify parents’ lives and enhance children’s. We have some other great and influential mummy bloggers coming on Monday including @mummyblogger and we would be so pleased if you were able to make it too. Please take a look at the press page on http://www.myKidsy.com to read the press release and if you would like to join us please send me your email address and I will send you an invite. Please feel free to come as a group.
We hope you that you will be able to make our evening of networking, presentations and talks.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
Alix Gidney
PR and Community Manager
I think the problem is they (the council) are worried that it will attract teens to the area in the evenings as a hang out and obviously they want to prevent this but then at what cost!
I think a better selection of play equipment is a great idea as I to tend to go to Clevedon and why should I when the lakes is on the doorstep. I know my son would have loved a skate park at the lake grounds but thats obviously not going happen. I understand their concerns but come on, not all teens are rebels and what about giving them something positive to do. Skate parks prevent them using the paths and benches. Anyway I look forward to seeing the possibility of some new play equipment. Come on lets not forget we were all young once!
Thanks for commenting cant73. We would love to see a better range of play equipment for our local children – whatever age they are.
Before i fill in the form…You say this money is ‘available’, is it known what the money is being spent on instead?
Thanks
Kate
The lake grounds definitely needs revamping and upgrading. There are some amazing parks, Blaise, Hengrove, etc. If the money is there it should be used. Have completed the survey
Thanks for your comment del. It does seem to be a surprising decision if the funds are available. It would be good to hear NS Council’s point of view, wouldn’t it?
I have the same issue as Fiona, my children are 8 & 10 and the only thing we can do there is play a bit of family cricket/picnic and ride their bikes around the lake & on the esplanade, which of course leads to some of the OAPs complaining that the girls get in their way. As I pay a hefty council tax to NSC, I dont see why my children should be restricted to playing in our garden – or having to travel to Clevedon/Bristol to get some exercise.
There’s no denying it’s a pleasant location but it does seem a bit bonkers that we are having to drive elsewhere to find suitable play equipment. Thanks for your comment Jane and for sharing the link to this article on your Facebook page.
If anyone else would like to help spread the word about this issue and persuade more people to fill in the survey, please feel free to add the link to your own FB page.
https://practicallyperfectmums.co.uk/2012/lake-grounds-play-area-adequate-or-not/
Jane,
Thank you so much for posting this link. I am SO frustrated by this situation but I really think that we can turn our frustration into something positive. If enough people reply, comment and write to Town Councillors and NS Councillors, we CAN make them review the decision.
The £30,000 is there already; we are not asking them for anything that is not available. PLEASE carry on encouraging local parents and residents to provide their opinions on the Lake Grounds play equipment – together we can make Portishead a place where people want to come and play!
Thanks Sarah. If anyone else who has read this article has an opinion to express, please leave a comment here and fill in the on-line survey.
Don’t be shy. Your opinion does count 🙂
Hi Fiona
Thanks for your comment. It wasn’t until I received Sarah’s letter that I questioned WHY we travel out of Portishead to find our favourite parks. Wouldn’t it be great if we had a facility for our older children within our own town?
Jane
I completed the questionnaire before I saw this article. I wrote a lot of similar comments when filling it in. Portishead has inadequate play facilities for over 7’s and the only reason we go to the Lake Grounds these days is to roller blade along the esplanade but don’t visit the park much as my children who are 5 and 8 find it so boring!