Ormiston Play Park is centrally located in the heart of Whitfield, surrounded by the streets of Lufness, Craigievar, Pitcaple, Dunrobin, and Cardoness Walk. Positioned within a social housing development predominantly occupied by families, the park is a vital community asset, offering a safe and accessible space for children, young people, and families to play, gather, and enjoy the outdoors. Despite its popularity, the park’s equipment is outdated and in urgent need of refurbishment. Through recent community engagement and consultation, residents have clearly expressed the need for improvements. Key priorities identified include the installation of equipment suitable for pre-school children, the addition of inclusive and accessible play features, picnic benches to encourage family use of the green space, and repairs to existing well-loved equipment.

The redevelopment will not only improve physical infrastructure but also foster stronger community connections, promote outdoor activity, and support early years development. The inclusion of picnic areas and improved signage will further encourage families to spend time in the park, strengthening social ties and promoting well-being.

This project directly supports local priorities by addressing the significant levels of child poverty in the North East of Dundee, where 36% of children live in poverty, higher than the city average of 31% (SIMD 2020). By enhancing the quality and inclusivity of Ormiston Play Park, we aim to provide a safe, welcoming, and stimulating environment for children of all ages and abilities, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have linked with Stakeholders such as Primary Schools, Parent Councils, Tenants Community Empowerment Team, Early Years Educators, to ensure there is no duplication of work and to ensure we are enhancing current assets. Angus Housing Association, a registered charity and the landowner, is committed to supporting this initiative. However, due to financial constraints, we are unable to fully fund the redevelopment independently. We are therefore seeking external funding to bring this community-led vision to life. This project represents a meaningful investment in children, families, and the wider community, creating a more inclusive, engaging, and vibrant public space for all. The association has undergone extensive outreach through a Microsoft Forms questionnaire to gather feedback regarding what equipment and improvements should be made. This included targeted door knocking in the surrounding areas of the play park. We also attended the North East Campus during school finish times to facilitate more engagement and feedback. Additionally, this was sent out on our social media platforms and distributed through emails and text messages to tenants and the wider community for completion. On Monday, May 2nd, which was a school in-service day, we aimed to maximize feedback and engagement while schools were closed. We held a picnic in the park event from 11 AM to 1 PM as another way to engage with individuals. Here, we invited children and families to complete the questionnaire and assist with designing a sign and notice boards for the park, which was successful.

Investing in our proposed play park will not only enhance the community’s recreational offerings but also provide a safe and engaging environment for children and families to thrive. By fostering physical activity, social interactions, and imaginative play, we are nurturing the well-being of our youth and building stronger community bonds. We believe that with your support, we can create a vibrant space that will be cherished for generations to come. Together, let’s make a lasting impact on our community by turning this vision into reality.

Local Priority:  New seating and picnic benches across the ward

The Whitfield Garden space is being utilised by more local groups, than just the garden volunteers for various events and would be useful to have 6 metal seated benches and 2 metal picnic table/benches for those visiting and will make the space more accessible in terms of people just wanting to come, sit an enjoy the space. Many residents are elderly and enjoy visiting the garden. In addition, we would be looking for funding to improve access by creating an additional path from the from the front gate to connect to main paths in the garden, so more people can access the space. We are also looking to use this fund to repair damaged fencing to create an enclosed safe space for those visiting, especially children and young people.

We have a lot of local support for the above proposals from local community groups, local authority staff and other stakeholders such as Whitfield changemakers. We have supporting letters to that effect that we are happy to share. When local community workers, engaged with the community for ideas, some of the above was raised as possible improvements.

The garden space is more than the spaces itself, the produce from this donated to the local community larder and community cafe. The space is also utilised by other groups and stakeholders and will submit support letters of support as mentioned above.

The outdoor space at the Finmill Centre needs updates to improve safety, especially for children and those with mobility issues. To make the area safe, welcoming, and accessible, it needs seating, sensory equipment, planting, safe play equipment, fencing, and new surfaces. Currently, the tarmac surface with small stones is unsafe for children, toddlers, and people with mobility issues. Although there is a ramp, it leads to rough surfacing, which is unsuitable. The area lacks welcoming spaces for the community to sit, chat, or play. The Finmill cafes exist, but outdoor areas with safe seating are inaccessible for people. The local priority indicates a desire for such amenities. Children's groups could use the space for outdoor play, enhancing learning in nature. This enclosed play area would offer safe spaces for all children, including those with additional needs. Families can spend time together outdoors without safety concerns. Adults can enjoy the café and outdoor seating, improving mental health and wellbeing. The outdoor space will encourage community interaction and connections. These improvements align with local priorities and promote greater community engagement.

A local community survey revealed a desire for a safe and welcoming outdoor space at the Finmill Centre, suitable for families. The local playgroup and youth and family groups reported safety concerns, indicating the urgent need for improvements. The playgroup has deemed the current surfacing unsuitable for young children to play on, or use bikes, scooters, or prams. Children with ASN would benefit from a sensory area with equipment that aids their development. The family group which supports parents with children with additional support in many areas, have expressed they would like a nature-connected area with a sensory garden and safe play zones. Such an environment is crucial for children's development, fostering expression and creativity. The survey indicated that a safe, welcoming outdoor space would enhance community engagement and encourage its use.

The outdoor area should be a safe and welcoming space for everyone to use, from young children to adults. It should be a space to be creative, encourage curiosity particularly amongst children and promote wellbeing. A sensory space for all to use and enjoy, building positive relationships across the ages and throughout the community.

Funds would be used to pay for mud kitchen, play panel, balance block, seating, picnic table accessible, picnic table recycled plastic, sensory mirror leaves, sensory flower mirrors, sensory planting, Buddy bench, resurfacing, bins