Kate and Helen
Transcript
right. Ok, right. So, um, do you think you're kind of a regular user of Longford Park? Yes. Yeah, probably
I visit the park a few times a week, maybe three times each week. Yeah, I would say so. What? What do you go there for? So, um, mostly to play
So I would say, um, to play in the kids' play area is that the official play areas and then to play in some of the more nature kind of based areas, like the areas where the rocks and the trees are, um, and then to visit the cafe. I think the cafe is a really big bonus. Um, you know that the park has so yeah
And just to walk, to be in nature, just to walk in a really lovely tree. Kind of heavy environment. And and, yeah, and a quiet away from the cup of the cars and the noise and the pollution
So yeah, so I love for that as well. Are you usually with other people, you know, with age? Yeah. Usually with babies and my own Children
So, um, yeah. So, usually with ages that range from one year old to 10 Children that are 10 years old. Yeah
So would you use different parts of the park depending on who you're with? Yeah. So I think, um, yeah, with older Children and actually with the 12 year old, my son has enjoyed the basketball court. So with older Children, the basketball courts and the tennis courts are more useful
And then with younger Children, the play areas are really good. And with really little Children from there with babies. And the wooded areas are really nice because it's a nice, um, exploration area for little kids
And they yeah, you don't need to. So if you're with, say, two or three little babies, it's nice. It's quite a safe environment where the rocks and the trees are, and they can just crawl around if they're crawling or walk, and it's not so much lifting them and putting them into swings and things
So that's quite nice for a change to, you know, to kind of just, um, play in a more open ended way. Um, yeah, and then for all the all the kids up to about 10 seem to love the play equipment. So the and the the time and frames are all quite quite well, sort of matched to up probably 0 to 8
The need for 0 to 8 year old is that the little kids play park or if you think both together, but, yeah, there's definitely a lot in the in the little play park near the cafe for, um, for the the younger half of that age bracket. So the 0 to 4 And so, yeah, I mean, I think the the installation of the big climbing frame in that park has opened it up to older Children. So that's good
So I think Children up to eight years old can definitely enjoy that a lot and and have a, you know, enjoy the challenge of the climb and everything. Um, and then I think the zip wire provides good play for Children. Who are that? Little bit older
8 to 10. And Yeah, and I guess maybe I have to tell it is a little bit more difficult to convince Children to go there. Um, they like to go to the cafe at that age
Definitely. And maybe yeah, and my son did like to go to the basketball courts in the warmer weather, but I think for, um, for him. Now he's on about 12
5. I think in the winter he probably wouldn't find a lot to do except he eating and eat cakes at the cafe and getting hot chocolate. Good
Is there anything that you think could be there that would persuade him to go? Yeah, maybe, Um, I think a kind of park or style area or a skateboarding area. I mean, in some ways, it might encourage you to hang out and be antisocial, but hopefully not, Um, hopefully it would be used, you know, in a positive way. Um and I think, Yeah, I think even if he didn't take part in the skateboarding, he used to skateboard board
But he doesn't so much now. I think he probably would quite enjoy watching friends skateboard there. It would just give that age group the 12 to 16 age group somewhere to go to hang out that kind of thing
So, yeah, I've seen parks, and there's a good park in Edinburgh near my mother in law's house. And it is a really, really good skate park, right? Yeah, and it seems to be used in the right way in a positive way, and it's incredible how many sort of 10 to 16 year olds are there using using the area, Um, and keeping fit and healthy and having fun. Yeah, yeah, it's quite quite nice to see
Really, That does sound good, I guess. There's probably not that many local places where, like, not that people can just go themselves. Yeah, so I think when you're told you would have to drive really to some of the places I think Fields Park has a skateboard area, and then there's some others in Stockport and further a field
But yeah, you would have to. You would have to take public transport or or drive, get, get someone to drive you. So, yeah, I think it would be nice to have something that's just local for the Children who live in this area
Um, do you think there's anything that would be good? Um, that's not there for younger kids or or for adults, for yourself. So for younger Children, Yeah, there's, I think, I don't know. I don't know if the weather stops this practise, but I've been to parks in other countries in Europe and they tend to have, like, lovely big sandpit areas, and we don't have anything like that in the Longford park
And I think kids really enjoy sandpit areas. The nice the sun, obviously very tactile and sensory. And, yeah, they can just go with buckets of faith and pretend they're on the beach
Yeah, So I think I think San area would be lovely. And it's just a lovely surface. In fact, some parts that the ground is sand, and that's really it's a lot nicer than some other surfaces rather than gravel surfaces
When they fall, they have the name. And so yeah, so maybe something sand based would be nice for a little one. Um, and you get obviously with sand and parts
They often have these kind of diggers metal diggers or yeah, like Children seem to really love and fun and things like that that you can pour the sand down. So, yeah, I think kids get really engaged in that kind of play. Yeah, that's really I think all most of the other is is pretty much catered for
How about for yourself to see, so yeah, I don't know. I guess the tennis courts are good for adults. And and again, the basketball courts can be enjoyed by adults as well
I think they could. I think maybe the basketball courts could be improved a little. I think the the wire around the you know, the the enclosure are kind of a little bit, um, just a little bit scruffy looking, but, um, yeah, maybe that could be improved if it if it looks more appealing, it might look more appealing to go there
I don't go as much. I did before. I had my own Children
But they play takes over when I go to the park now. But I did go to the tennis court before having Children when I lived in. It was a really good facility to have
So yeah, so that's good. And the Frisbee golf is good. I think that's a really good My husband enjoys that as well
It's another good, um, another good facility for for adults. Um, and the cafe is great. I do think the cafe is really good
It brings people together, and it's just a nice and kind of environment in this sort of tree area of the park to have, you know, a hot drink and whatever, and yeah, it just feels quite quite nice to sit there instead of sitting by the side of the road in the cafe. Yeah. So yeah
Yeah, really nice setting. So I think that's lovely. And other than that, nothing that I would personally get much too of
I think tennis is pretty much a fairly like, universal sport that most people can get involved in. I mean, I know my son and husband like volleyball. They probably love a fan volleyball court, right? Pretty massive
Yeah, but yeah. In in Europe and other countries in Europe, they do, Um that is quite a regular thing to see, um, outdoor volleyball courts and based volleyball court in a park setting. So, yeah, that's something I guess we don't have
I don't think I've ever seen in the park in England, but it's very common in in Germany and Holland and France and other other other countries, European countries, so that that is something that maybe people would enjoy, but yeah, that's all. Really, I think, Yeah, I think it's good. I think overall, the park is, you know, has something for everyone
So do you feel like, um, you're happy with the amount of visits you make to it. It's not like that. You would go more really more going on or Yeah, no, I think, yeah, I think I'm happy
I think it's nice when they do put on an event, it definitely draws you in. And I think that the, um, allotments people who attend the allotments have opened up the allotments and, you know, they've sold cakes and plants and things, and that's been really nice. It's been nice to do to do that
And I guess that doesn't seem to happen as much as it did. Maybe because of covid. Um, yeah, that
Yeah. I think events are definitely makes you go. And but yeah, I think, Yeah, I think it it's I would probably go as I would use it, um, in a similar way, even if there was a lot more on
But yeah, the odd event would be nice to go to think. Yeah. So, yeah, the Christmas tree little area is nice
Little things like that just just change it and it? Yeah, it's special for kids. They love to go and see all the you know, if anything changes in the park. I think Children really appreciate something new to explore, isn't it? And it's in an environment that they're happy and familiar with
But, you know, it can be quite exciting to see a whole group of trees, for example, suddenly arrive and they can run through them. Yeah. So all them types of things are are really good
I think the more things that can happen, the better, really. But yeah, but whether I would go to every event, there were lots of events I don't know. I don't know
I have time. Other things that happen at the weekend. Yeah, but you have to, you know, attend or whatever
So but, yeah, I think it is nice when they do events. And it does definitely get people to go there to go and visit. My kids love it to see something different, so Yeah
Ok, uh, is there anything else you want to any other reflections on the park that you'd like to add? I don't think so. Um or is there anything that you particularly don't like? I mean, rubbish. I do feel like bins are a little bit of an issue I don't know
I feel like they could have put a second bin in the play area near the cafe. There's only one B in that that play area. So if you're on one side with a group of Children, which I often, um, you have to walk quite a distance to the bin and then and then obviously get yourself back to the Children that you're caring for
So that's Yeah, that's that's quite convenient. Yeah, there always have been two bins up until when the bins all got changed to the recycling bins. Um, and it is great that the recycle bins, but the problem is they do feel a lot as well
They're often full and, you know, it's just Yeah, I mean, in the summer, especially. It's not so bad in the winter, but in the summer, it seems like they don't get emptied regularly, you know? Um, yeah, and it would Yeah, it would be good for that to happen. And also another thing to be present in the in the area
The cafe, the play area near the cafe. But yeah, I think apart from that, it's fine. Yeah, just keeping up with the with dealing with the red, I guess, is always a nice shape
But I know what you mean. Spoil your trip, though. I think great
Usually overflow with bags. Yeah, absolutely. And it kind of like you go to the park to get into nature and to get away from dirt and pollution, and then you see all the refuse pollution, and it feels a little bit disheartening to kind of have to look at that while you're meant to be in this really serene, natural calming environment
So, yeah, I think that that's what can kind of, like feel, make people feel quite irritated. So, yeah, that that rubbish in it and and and the gorgeous setting of the park can even grate on you a little bit more, but yeah. Yeah
So that's all. OK. All right
Great. Well, thank you. No problem
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