Silk Mill Playground glow up!

Izaak's email to parents who filled in his survey about Silk Mill Playground to choose what new equipment goes in:

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to fill in the survey on improvements to Silk Mill playground. We had over a hundred responses from local parents and even at least one child, which is brilliant.

I wanted to share what happens next, and then a bit more detail on the results for transparency.

What happens next

I’ll share the results with the Parks team. We’ve already secured a commitment to properly resurface and make safe the existing playground plus add more equipment.

The decision on equipment will be based on your survey responses, alongside practical considerations like balancing different ages and making sure the space is inclusive.

The aim is to strike the right balance between:

• Something that works for the widest range of children

• Something that provides a real upgrade to the playground

  
  

The Parks team will need to sign off the final design, so I’ll keep working with them to get the strongest possible outcome based on what you’ve told me.

What was most popular

There was a very clear pattern in the responses:

• Rope seat swings were the most widely supported (around 70% of respondents)

• Trampolines were also very popular, and came out top when people were asked to pick just one thing

• CocoWave (group) swings and climbing equipment also had good support

Alongside the equipment itself, there was strong backing for:

• New, safer surfacing

• Making sure the playground works for a range of ages

• Ensuring it is accessible and inclusive

A small number of people also raised sensible points about safety, maintenance, and making sure the space works well for everyone. These are all being taken into account.

What this means

Taking everything together, the message is clear:

People want a playground that is safe and inclusive, but also feels like a genuine upgrade, not just a minor refresh.

Keeping you updated

Once we have a proposed plan, I’ll share it with you before anything is finalised. And keep an eye on my weekly email newsletter for updates on this and other work in the area.

Thanks again for taking the time to feed in. It really does help make the case for investment and getting the right improvements in place.