I need all the info possible on erecting a play park! Help!

[bramblina]

We live in a remote part of the scottish highlands and have to travel over 10 miles to our nearest play park, or any activity that's on in the area. I know there's land available to us if we can raise enough money (50% of final costs) to get a play park over our side of the village but I have no idea where to start.
I also need to find a supplier and get costings, make a plan etc of how it will be laid out-has anyone ever done this before? I would be very grateful of any information anyone can give me.
I'm popping out just now will be back shortly.
TIA

have you tried applying for lottery assistance
dont know the detils
but have heard of it done

Also you will need public liability insurance and I fear you will find that surprisingly expensive.

Some info \link{http://www.api-play.org/upload/documents/document8.pdf\here} on the website of the \link{http://www.api-play.org/\Association of Play Industries} - not sure if you mean a playground or an indoor soft play type place? Info from Rospa \link{http://www.rospa.co.uk/playsafety/index.htm\here}. HTH.

Thank you all very much. Yes, have thought of the lottery, that's on my to-do list for tonight, I'm going to see a lady from the crofter's commision tomorrow about the land. Insurance- she has told me the council are prepared to take over the upkeep (empty bins, cut grass etc) afterwards, and I guess that means they will own it so I'm hoping their insurance may be extended to cover. Jackie thanks for the great links, will read them in depth tonight. Have any of you got any fundraising ideas? DH and I will start the funds, and we'll ask the local parents for donations etc, and then perhaps we'll do the norm like boot sales etc, someone mentioned a barbecue in the summer, but my imagination is useless...anyone?

who is going to provide ongoing maintenance. who has ownership of the land. those things will be important financial things to consider.

whoever has final ownership o the play area will need insurance - that should prolly be the local council.

you should try and get a project co-ordinator from a design firm of architechts and building surveyors.

they will do the design and may do local consultation but they will require a % of the total fee. usually.

to get public funding ie lottery funding you will have to firstly demonstrate that you can handle this sort of project. to do this usually groups have a financial history ( ie a tenants and residents group) they can call upon to demonstate that they have had experience of dealing with finances before, usually but not always they will require a constituted group - like "the friends of xxxxxx play area group" who meet regularly and have roles like chair secratary and treasurer etc.

most importantly they will need you to demonstrate that the community is in favour of such a proposal therefore you will have to carry out extensive consultation - which in itself will be timeconsuming and can cost money.

regards

DC you are a right old misery you know.

Bramblina, what does the local council say about it?

Some mums in a village near me are raising money which they'll hand over to the Parish Council to upgrade the existing crappy playground. The Council will run it, so no insurance issues, but they didn't have any spare funds in their budget to pay for the equipment and installation.

It has taken the mums the best part of a year so far - they had to incorporate themselves before they could apply for funding, and research all the different bodies that can fund them - e.g. the Sports Council will fund things like basketball hoops, but not swings etc.

For suppliers, I think they looked at things they liked in nearby playgrounds - the equipment will have the supplier's name and contact details on it somewhere.

Anyway, I think it's fab that you are trying to improve things. Good luck!

Carolina I think we'll go for some swings, those springy things and a slide. I don't think they allow roundabouts anymore, do they? So I don't think the sports council will take much to do with it. About 80% of the children nearby are primary age and under so for the moment we're aiming at the younger ones. Though obviously they'll become older ones eventually so we really should consider all ages! Great idea to look at the name plates on the equiptment elsewhere- I'll do that tomorrow. This is the obvious stuff I really have no clue about! Thanks for the encouragement, I'm going to give it my best shot anyway.

Do you have any idea if any of these bodies only give money as long as they are to be the only one giving it? I was told Macdonalds and Burger King donate money for this kind of thing so long as no one else would, I assume so they have the only form of advertising through sponsorship.
If they would all give a little, a lot could be raised! Thanks for the great link too.

AFAIK bodies who have a funding role (e.g. the lottery) won't mind where else you get funding from, because that is their role, it isn't a piece of advertising for them.

the lottery and other funders do usually require that a sign with their contribution be put somewhere. although the lottery arn't right arsed where other money comes from

Good lord! Where did you get a name like that?!

i use cocaine and have an ugly baby ...!silly

Try and include some sort of monkey bars, children need to dangle off things as part of their development.

The suppliers of the equipement should be able to design for you how it is screwed together, I think most of them are kit set type things.