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Avenue Road Play Area and Community Garden (Hayling Island)

Update on Avenue Road Play Area

We wanted to thank you for your feedback on proposals to improve the play area at Avenue Road, Hayling Island, and to update you on the project.

This site was included in our 2024/25 programme for proposed play area refurbishments and the plans were to update the play area with more modern, inclusive equipment, and to create a community garden.

While Havant Borough Council owns the land at Avenue Road, there is a restrictive covenant in place that limits the work that can be carried out there. We have been unable to secure agreement from the covenant owner to carry out the kind of work that would be required to fully modernise the site and make it more accessible.

As a result of this, the council has had to pause the Avenue Road project and is reallocating the funds to improve another play area in Hayling Island at Southwood Road. The play area at Southwood Road had already been identified as needing refurbishment and was included in a future refurbishment programme.

Avenue Road play area remains open for use, and we will continue to regularly inspect it. We will try to repair or replace any equipment that fails.

Thank you once again for sharing your views with us and we will have more information about the plans for Southwood Road later in the year.

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Phases

Phases overview

Avenue Road Play Area

Avenue Road Community Garden

Your views on a community garden

Avenue Road Play Area

17 January 2024 - 14 February 2024

We want to hear from you on what you would like to be included in the improvements for Avenue Road Play Area.

Please use the following ideas section to tell us what you think, particularly about:

What equipment (such as swings, slides or climbing frames) would you like to see included in this play area?
What other provisions (such as seating, bins or landscaped greenery such as bushes, shrubs or grassed areas) should be considered for this refurbishment? What type of surface should the play area have (e.g. grass, wood chips, soft tarmac)?
What types of materials and colours would you like to see in this refurbishment? Would you like to see graphics on the flooring (e.g. hopscotch or other games) and if so, what should these include?
Why would these improvements be important to you?
Which other play areas do you visit and why?

If you would like to submit your ideas on this site, please use the green "Submit your idea" button at the top right corner of this page. Please submit as many ideas as you wish.

Please note that other participants on this site will be able to view your ideas and/or attachments once you submit them.

You can also comment on other posts, or agree / disagree with other comments. These will be listed at the bottom of this page under the "Ideas" heading.

47 ideas

Adrien Burnand2 years ago This is welcomed news. We have lived nearby for almost eight years and there has been little to no investment in the play park.A lot of the equipment is in a poor state of repair, unusable and in some instances I question its safety. This is really sad, especially as we have a 3 year old daughter.As far as I’m aware, this is the only play park within easy walking distance of the many houses and young families in the immediate area. Simply replacing or repairing the existing equipment would be most welcome. Thank you.

Sue Shore2 years ago

Charlie Penrose2 years ago Having used other parks on the island and this being my local park where I take both my children I think that the new equipment installed should be similar to the west town park facilities.The park defiantly needs new swing sets and a good sized climbing frame and slide.Also what is desperately needed is a hard court football cage like the one in west town park. I regularly play football with my son in the park currently and the surface is so uneven and the grass is hardly ever maintained which makes it really hard to play properly. Even if the new football cage wasn’t as big as the west town one, a half sized court with one goal and a basketball net above it would be a big improvement as we would be able to play on it all year round.

Maria Meredith2 years ago I believe this park would benefit from the following suggestions... An outdoor gym area(like Eastoke one) Replacement of children's play area with traditional swings & slides etc for toddlers as well as young children Keep a football net & basketball net for older children(existing ones need revamping/replacing) Somewhere that is shaded to sit when very sunny. A path from the gate to all areas so accessible for everyone(pushchairs,wheelchairs & mobility scooters etc)in all weather & during no mow May! Community Garden area sounds nice but might be difficult to maintain if reliant on volunteers

Sarah Cobbold2 years ago

Sue Doxat2 years ago Open public spaces every where should be kept as natural as possible. Trees for shade, to capture carbon and help wildlife. Seating tand equipment that won't be vandalised. Surfaces that are safe and environmentally friendly. We should not include any more plastic, resin or rubber combinations, that waste natural resources, prevent biodiversity, leach toxic chemicals. Water fountain or a small compost type toilet facility will mean fewer plastic bottles and rubbish.

David Harper2 years ago

Monica Peters2 years ago This play park is long overdue for refurbishment. The equipment is unsafe, broken, covered in green algae and bird droppings. I look after my grand children on a regular basis and need to make a car journey to visit the park in West Town near the community centre. There should be more swings, a slide, a climbing frame, zip wire. The materials, where possible, should be natural wood. The ground cover should be soft material, like West Town park or oak chippings. No dogs should be allowed.

steve simpson2 years ago As an observer and not somebody who will use this play area, it does appear to be in need of updataing/TLC. The present equipment appears to have come from the 80/90's. It does not appear to be interesting or adventurous and might even be a little dagerous if wet or not cleaned. Modern play areas that we have seen have approriate flooring, adventurous equipment for all ages and certain parts that need child supervision, in a fenced off area that will also keep animals out of the area. As there is little else in this area for younger children and if there is the money to do the upgrade, I say it needs to be done.

Kate Dunstone 2 years ago We used this park a lot when my children were younger. It would be great for it to be accessible for someone pushing a pram/stroller to get to all the equipment. Swings, small roundabout would be great but let's make them accessible to less-able children. Keep the basketball court and football goal. This makes it more interesting for more children. And keep up with the grass cutting! It gets left to fall into disrepute far too often.

Paul Weller2 years ago Not an expert on learning and development, but I think there should be set rules on apparatus selection that draw from past experience.Equipment needs to have a low maintenance design life of +20yrs. Maintenance on these sites has always been lacking, so don't select items that will need it. We can all remember the rocking horse and roundabout that just went on and on, so items of this nature, despite being dearer initially.The intro picture shows some activities on Big Springs. These never stay intact (all lean after a while), are potentially loaded weapon's (pull back and let go at someone else) and rust quickly.Remember, unless nails and bolts are deeply countersunk that they become slowly exposed as wood shrinks with age. Another maintenance/ H&S issue.

Kevin Burnett2 years ago The proposed development of Avenue Road is long overdue and needed in that the current facility has not been fit for purpose for many years and has been badly neglected throughout that timeThis park needs to be equipped with play apparatus and facilities that are suitable for all ages of children such as West Leigh Park which very adequately caters for all ages, including green space for general use.Courts that can facilitate multiple ball sports are also ideal.Some parks within Portsmouth have excellent sand and running water play areas together with undulating areas for bikes and scooters although the size of this area may not be ideal for the latter.The new park also needs to include, picnic benches/tables, shaded areas, rubbish bins. The area is not huge and therefore in view of its size it should be solely dedicated to a park facility for children. I do not see the need for a Community garden on this site, together with a children's play park. All residences within the local area have their own private gardens and the proper upkeep and maintenance costs of a Community garden would be relatively costly and given the budgeting issues that Havant BC are no doubt juggling, such a garden facility should not be on the councils list of priorities in my view.Please do not include this park in any future No Mow May initiatives as doing so last year rendered the park completely unusable for a good coupke of months due to the length to which the grass was allowed to grow. This park is surrounded by farmland, public grass verges and private gardens so there is more than sufficient area on which wildlife can thrive.

Cat Smith2 years ago At present this area is used primarily as a dog park. This has to be banned as it was years ago.1) Imperative. Move the basketball court and football amenities to the south side of the parkThe repetitive noise for nearby residencies is akin to torture and horrendous. Besides, many footballs end up in the road. Also if older kids are playing football they generally use the entire grass area adjacent to the gate therefore blocking and hindering access to the south side of the park.2) Cut the damn grass on a regular basis AND collect the cuttings.3) Provide access for prams and wheelchairs. A path would be useful as well as an accessible gate.4) Swings, slides, objects to climb on, under and over. The present remnants of the equipment left to rot over the years should provide you with a framework.5) The local community all have private gardens so what is the reasoning of your park garden? And who will tend it?6) Why is gender a necessity to choose play equipment? Provide equipment that is fun and engaging for all to use. You have enough ideas from people now.

Pauline Davis2 years ago Replace present obstacle course with a multiplay/mixed age construction. Park in centre of Overton Hants has a good one. Present swings OK for babies and older ones. Make park more interesting with paths to access equipment in interesting patterns for toddlers to run round, a mound to climb up, trees for shade.Bonded resin all weather surface for football and ball games - hoops at differing heights.Not many children live round here at present but as the 70-80 year old residents, whose children have grown up, move on there will be more families. It would be a good way to spend money.

Nick Roberts2 years ago I live in Avenue Road and I visited the play area regularly with my son from when he was born to when he was early teens, also family and friends. The facilities are limited but it is a very valuable resource to those with children living nearby (my son learnt to play football there and went on to play college football in the US!!). The mixture of surfaces is fine, but the grass surface needs to be more even with better drainage, and the other surfaces are also cracking up. The "wall" at one end of the "pitch" could be replaced with another goal. The telegraph pole in the corner is a safety hazard and needs to be fenced off. Also the mix of equipment is fine, but quality could be improved. Also think focus on younger age group is fine, also given limited resources

Sarah Paxton2 years ago Living quite close to this park and having 2 small children I would definitely use it frequently if it was updated. The grass is too long and uneven making it hard for little ones. There's also quite a bit of dog mess that I saw. The park itself just has a feeling of neglect and is not very inviting at all. I think a new climbing frame with a big slide and swing set would be great but also something for the smaller children. Many parks don't accommodate for 2 year olds so we end up going to jubilee park in Waterlooville so both of our children can have fun. Maybe some lower climbing frames and slides, a roundabout, activity wheels? Living so close I'll probably end up regretting the next suggestion, but I've seen tubular bells with beaters in other parks, kids love making lots of noise. Large boulders and beams for balancing on and jumping off would be good too. Large picnic tables for parents to sit and watch.

Sue Bethell2 years ago It would be lovely to see the park have a much needed revamp. It has been a long time since the play area looked inviting and the equipment was all in working order. Well made, long lasting play equipment made from natural/recycled materials such as various sized slides, swings and climbing frames would be a very welcome addition along with a hopscotch layout.Picnic tables would also add to the appeal of visiting the play area. There should also be access for pushchairs and wheelchairs, but definitely no dogs.Perhaps reserve a corner of the park to sow wildflowers to encourage birds, insects, bees and other wildlife rather than a community garden.

Clara Chamberlain2 years ago It will be great to see this park refurbished! It’s in a very sorry state! Unsafe, broken play equipment. Grass left uncut, unsafe to play on. it would be great to see new swings, different height slides. Climbing equipment for younger children and older children. Tunnels to crawl through. Activity stations, listening equipment. soft tarmac flooring around all the play equipment. The basket ball court is useful and to still have a grass area for football, ball sports will be good as it is such a large space. it would be great to have it include some of the play equipment that it at the park by hayling community centre as this is accessible to all

Fiona Foster2 years ago I visit my parents on Hayling every weekend with my son and would love to use this park however its not suitable for use so we end up having to go down to West Towns park. The park has broken equipment, rusty dirty swings and slide and even incomplete equipment. The grass is left to grow too long making it impossible to play football or for my little boy to walk to the swings when the grass is as tall as him. There is currently a goal post at the park which is great but if the grass isn’t being cut then there is no point, perhaps that is removed and the space is put to better use. It would be great if new play equipment was built, additional swings for babies and young children, small and a big slide. The Obstacle course is a nice idea but not all children can do it so maybe 2 for different age groups. Perhaps a trampoline built into the ground which is great fun, a small wooden playhouse so toddlers can play “shop” . The park is very spacious and this should be taken advantage of. Picnic tables would be a good addition so you can bring a picnic/snack

les towell2 years ago I have lived very close to this park for over 30 years and it has never been regularly used or maintained properly.regular maintenance is a must (grass cutting etc) dangerous potholes and broken glass often found on the play areas.appropriate flooring for each of the facilities is required (safety for the kids swings/roundabout/slide etc; level area for football etc noisy ball games (football goals, basketball area) should ALL be at the South end of the park, away from the road and peoples houses.more bins (with regular emptying); safe/clean seating and a little shade would be nice.accessibility for pushchairs etc is needed.in any childrens play area, dogs should NOT be allowed (does this mean fencing them off within the park ?)As for the community garden, I feel this would be a waste of money (for both the creation and upkeep) I'm sure the vast majority of visitors to the park already have access to a 'garden' and would not want to be responsible for the upkeep.

Natasha Jane2 years ago A space for all to enjoy would be brilliant. Trees to provide interest, habitats and shade in the summer. Garden with shrubs and wildflowers. Seating/picnic areas and benches. Ample bins for rubbish and dog mess. The play park should suit younger and older children. Swings, roundabout, climbing frames, climbing wall, monkey bars, gymnastics bar, slides, Basket ball area Football area Equipment should be designed to last or be easily maintained by the council. Thank you!

peter moth2 years ago I think that this is a valuable but under-used facility that needs both refreshing of swings, slides and climbing frames as well as better signage to publicise its existence. My son has recently moved to Somerset where many of the newer play areas are maintained by developers of residential housing. It is part of the planning approval terms. He says it works well and the play equipment and surfaces (grass or soft-fall composite) are frequently attended and repaired (at no cost to council).

Hayley Wilson 2 years ago

Cheryl Moth2 years ago

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