The local priorities this will address are:

- Improve safety, accessibility and equipment in outdoor recreation spaces for families and young people

- Improve community facilities to support wider range of projects

At present our children do not get to achieve their UNCRC article 31 - the right to play in a safe and accessible environment. We would like to enhance their play experiences and widen the activities available to them. Having a basketball court and nets will allow us to have an after school club which we currently can't do due to the lack of facilities in and outside of the building. We will also be able to use the equipment and courts during the school holidays to invite families to holiday camps and competitions run by our SFDW. This would improve community facilities to support a wider range of projects and clubs available. Due to our building we are very limited in what we can offer our families and would like to increase and improve the experiences for all.

Funding will be used to pay for:

Goal post on wall x 2 Professional basketball unit x 2  Basketball floor markings Football floor markings  Activity trail floor markings Wall panels for games Activity frame Wet pour flooring

Due to the age and condition of our building we would really like to develop this project. Our children are missing out on play and social experiences due to this. These facilities would allow us to create more after school clubs as well as inviting families to support sessions during the school holidays.

The project will address Local Priorities:

- Improve safety, accessibility and equipment in outdoor recreation spaces for families and young people

- Improve community facilities to support wider range of projects

The existing area poses safety risks and limits children’s ability to play freely. With funding, we will install a new, safe surface beneath the trim trail, add outdoor gym equipment, a climbing Oberon, and seating to encourage longer visits and social interaction. Raised beds will be retained to support biodiversity and a natural feel, while bright, engaging colours will enhance the space visually.

This transformation will:

· Improve safety and accessibility for all children, including those with mobility challenges

· Encourage outdoor activity and healthy lifestyles

· Foster community spirit through shared use and inclusive design

By reimagining this space, we will create a welcoming, multi-use area that supports wellbeing, play, and togetherness—ensuring the playground remains a cherished community asset for years to come.

This project seeks funding to improve the surfacing and play equipment at Coldside Community Campus, with the goal of creating a safer, more inclusive, and engaging outdoor environment for children, young people, and families in the local community.

The current outdoor play areas are in need of significant upgrades to meet modern safety standards and accessibility requirements. Uneven or worn surfacing poses a risk of injury, particularly for younger children and those with additional support needs. By installing new, impact-absorbing surfacing and upgrading play equipment, we aim to reduce accidents, increase accessibility for all users, and create a more welcoming space for active play and social interaction.

In addition to improving safety, the project will enhance the quality and variety of play experiences available. New equipment will be chosen to support physical development, creativity, and inclusive play, ensuring that children of all ages and abilities can participate. These improvements will encourage more families to use the space regularly, promoting health, wellbeing, and community cohesion.

Importantly, this project also supports the wider vision of Coldside Community Campus as a hub for year-round community engagement. The upgraded outdoor space will serve as a flexible, open-access venue for a range of community-led initiatives, including outdoor learning, family events, and health and wellbeing programmes. By improving the infrastructure, we will enable the campus to host more diverse and inclusive activities, particularly during evenings, weekends, and school holidays.

This investment will have a lasting impact on the Coldside area by transforming the outdoor environment into a vibrant, safe, and accessible space that supports play, learning, and community connection. It aligns with local priorities around improving health outcomes, reducing inequalities, and creating inclusive spaces for all.

Routine site inspections and risk assessments have highlighted safety concerns with the current surfacing, including uneven ground and worn materials that increase the risk of trips and falls. Staff have reported frequent minor injuries during play, particularly among younger children. Additionally, the existing equipment is outdated and lacks inclusive features, limiting access for children with additional support needs. Local health and wellbeing data also supports the need for improved outdoor facilities. Coldside is an area with higher-than-average levels of childhood obesity and lower physical activity rates, as identified in local authority health profiles. Providing safe, engaging outdoor spaces is a key strategy in addressing these issues. Community Engagement: Engagement with families, pupils, and community groups has been central to identifying this project as a priority. Feedback gathered through parent surveys and pupil voice groups consistently highlighted the need for safer, more inclusive outdoor play areas. Parents expressed concerns about safety and limited opportunities for active play, particularly during out-of-school hours.

Local priority: - Improve community facilities to support wider range of projects

We propose developing a community garden within our existing allotment space to significantly enhance community wellbeing, foster social cohesion, and rejuvenate an underutilised area. This initiative directly addresses local priorities by offering inclusive, accessible outdoor spaces that promote physical health, mental wellness, and environmental sustainability. The garden will provide dedicated spaces for community members, including accessible areas specifically designed for individuals with disabilities. We will install raised beds, pathways suitable for wheelchairs, sensory garden elements, and seating areas to ensure broad accessibility and usability. Moreover, sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting systems and compost bins, will be integrated to promote environmental awareness and sustainability practices within our community. Residents have highlighted the demand for safe, communal spaces that enable outdoor activities and community engagement. This garden will serve as a vital communal hub, offering structured activities such as gardening workshops thus enriching community interactions and social ties. The anticipated outcomes of this project include enhanced community resilience, increased physical activity, improved mental health, and heightened community spirit. It will contribute to local sustainability objectives by promoting biodiversity and sustainable practices. Additionally, the garden will provide opportunities for education and skill-building around gardening, environmental care, and healthy lifestyles. By developing this community garden, we seek not only to transform an underused plot but also to establish a lasting asset that fosters community pride, wellbeing, and sustainability. This aligns directly with Dundee City Council’s objectives of improving local environments and building resilient, inclusive communities, ensuring long-term positive impacts across the neighbourhood.

With better access to the site we can offer more activities within our campus and hold more open days to raise the awareness of our allotments and foster better relationships within the local community.  Hopefully encouraging local people to develop the skills around gardening which can be used within the allotments and  in their own gardens and the wider community.

We see that with better access we can develop our plots to be more user friendly for wheelchair users encouraging participants to be included  in  a gardening community.

The benefits of safer access will not only enhance our site but will encourage inclusion for all.

The need for the community garden at our allotments has been clearly established through direct consultations and engagement with local councillors, community stakeholders, and consultancy support. This has highlighted significant local interest and demand for enhanced green spaces that actively support physical and mental health, community cohesion, and inclusivity. Initial conversations with local councillors revealed consistent feedback from constituents about the lack of accessible community facilities that foster wellbeing, especially in the densely populated Coldside area of Dundee. Councillors emphasised the importance of utilising existing community assets, such as allotments, to promote health and social integration, reinforcing the necessity of our proposed garden. Additionally, a specialist consultant engaged by our Association undertook structured stakeholder engagement, notably with representatives from NHS Tayside. This identified significant local health inequalities and an need for community interventions promoting preventative health measures, mental health support, and active lifestyles. NHS Tayside representatives particularly noted the role community gardening initiatives play in addressing isolation, depression, and physical inactivity, supporting our strategic alignment with broader local health priorities.

We have proven commitment to promoting community wellbeing and enhancing local green spaces. Since achieving charitable status (SC054265), we've undertaken extensive engagement, hosting numerous fundraising and community awareness events. This demonstrates not only our active role in community development but also our capability and commitment to delivering sustainable projects. Importantly, the proposed community garden will be accessible to all, offering specially designed spaces for those with disabilities and mobility issues. This inclusivity directly responds to community feedback about the lack of accessible, therapeutic green spaces. Furthermore, educational workshops, gardening activities, and intergenerational events will foster social cohesion, helping to build stronger community relationships. Funding from the Neighbourhood Capital Fund will significantly advance our goals, enabling immediate enhancements and lasting improvements that resonate deeply with community needs. By investing in this initiative, Dundee City Council will help secure lasting positive outcomes for the neighbourhood - transforming our space into a cornerstone of community wellbeing, pride, and sustainability.

This project will address the Local Priorities:

- Improve safety, accessibility and equipment in outdoor recreation spaces for families and young people

- Improve community facilities to support wider range of projects

The grant will be used to provide a much needed refurbishment to the ladies, gents and easily accessible/unisex toilets at The MAXwell Centre. Our project alone has a footfall of over 2,500 each month and our centre is the nearest available toilets for visitors to enjoying the facilities and attending events in the Hilltown Park. Improve safety, accessibility and equipment in outdoor recreational spaces for families and young people was a key local Coldside priority identified by our very own youth council for this funding. This grant would allow us to open our facilities to accommodate the increase in footfall that the improvements to play facilities and the outdoor recreation areas in the park would create. We would install signage in the park that our toilet facilities are open to all not just MAXwell participants. Part of our plans for the coming year is to provide more evening and weekend activities, this would increase the open times of the centre and allow access to toilet facilities for longer hours. We also have plans to increase the growing spaces in the park enhancing the recreational spaces. We have been key to developing the Berry Train, Coldside’s Playful nature trail with the Hilltown Park being the start point of the route! This is also a perfect fit for the local Coldside priority. We have recently signed a new lease with our landlords to access the large hall upstairs above the centre. This fits with the local priority Improve community facilities to support a wider range of projects that address issues affecting local people. The additional space will allow us to set up new groups and have new meeting rooms and private spaces. We are well known as a one stop shop for support and our new space will allow us to engage with a wider range of partners to deliver their services and activities in the Coldside area. Our footfall continues to increase year after year. This grant also meets our city plan outcome that our communities have high quality and accessible local services and facilities. Our project is truly representative of the broad spectrum of people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, religions, etc. that we have in the area. Our project breaks down barriers and brings people together in an environment that promotes interaction, integration and to empower them to improve their lives and the place they live in.The current toilets are in very poor condition, bitterly cold in winter and no longer fit for purpose. It has been nearly 20 years since any refurbishment has taken place. The hand driers don’t work making us reliant on expensive, less environmentally friendly paper towels. Lighting is poor and overall the facilities are difficult to clean and maintain.

We engaged our youth council to consult with our young people about the refit. We were disappointed to hear that some of our youths actually find the toilets ‘scary’. Lowering the ceiling and installing floor to ceiling cubicles would make the facilities safer and more pleasant to use. The easily accessible toilet will also be gender neutral, ensuring inclusivity for all. We will also make improvements for hand washing/ drying and new lighting would make the space brighter. All the upgrades will make the facilities more sustainable.

The current toilets are in very poor condition, bitterly cold in winter and the gents urinals are no longer fit for purpose. It has been nearly 20 years since any refurbishment has been done. The hand driers don’t work making us reliant on expensive, less environmentally friendly paper towels. Lighting is poor and overall the facilities are difficult to clean and maintain. We engaged our youth council to consult with our young people who quickly established the refurbishment was a key priority. We have 100’s of children a year using the toilets each year as part of our activities. We were disappointed to hear that some of our youths actually find the toilets ‘scary’. Lowering the ceiling and floor to ceiling cubicles would make the facilities safer and more pleasant to use. They identified the need for improvements to hand washing and drying facilities especially before lunch! New lighting was also identified as a priority making the space brighter and using more environmentally friendly bulbs. Our youth council are passionate about supporting us to achieve our local outcome that children will be safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included. The easily accessible toilet will also be gender neutral to ensure inclusivity for all. We also conducted a series of community consultations in 2022 to improve facilities in the park. This consultation highlighted the need for access to toilet facilities was essential to increased engagement and park usage. Finally, we have a dedicated team of over 70 volunteers who take ownership of our project and ensure that it continues to be supported. They are true ambassadors of the centre and our work, many have been involved in discussions around the need for the refurbishment and it’s planning.

To address the local priority: Improve safety, accessibility and equipment in outdoor recreation spaces for families and young people

The grant would be used to upgrade Hilltown Park Play Equipment. This includes replacing the current, damaged equipment with newer, more modern equipment, resurfacing the current surfaces and installing a fence with a gate to keep the equipment safe from dogs and make the space safer for children who may be inclined to run away. By installing these, the park will be more accessible for families and young people living in an area of the 10% most deprived in Scotland. Hilltown Park has been a community loved gem since it's installation and is cherished by local children and families. Sadly, the equipment is old and worn and the surfacing has become aged and rotten. The park is also well used by dog walkers, and often dogs cause damage to the play equipment when they are playing. Local people explained that upgrading this park would make a huge difference to the facilities in the area. Maxwell Centre regularly uses the park with their youth groups and have been campaigning for this upgrade and designing ideas for this.

Maxwell Centre and CLD Youth Groups have attended Local Community Planning Partnership to raise this issue on behalf of their peers. Our Lady's Additional Support Base Staff have consulted with parents on the suitability of the space in the park and agreed that better equipment and a fence would make the park far more accessible.

The grant will replace the multiplay unit and slide with a more modern newer one, add a new basket swing, include some new sensory play equipment and resurface the park.  It will also install a fence around the play area and gym equipment to protect the play area from dogs and make it safer for free play for children.  The final designs will be agreed by the young people in the community and the families of children who use or would like to use the park in future.  In addition to this the current equipment that will be kept can be relocated or altered to the spec of the young people and families using the park.