Council / SIC to undertake playpark review to provide fairer provision
A REVIEW of Shetland’s playpark provision looks set to take place in the near future to ensure they best meet the needs of local bairns.
Shetland Islands Council’s sport and leisure manager Neil Watt said this piece of work could look at the context of playparks within their local community.
Speaking at a meeting of the SIC’s education and families committee on Monday, he used the example of Lerwick and how the play areas in town vary from very small to large.
“We would have a look at the whole context of the play areas within a particular community and try and make an assessment of whether actually there needs to be more development in that particular area, or whether it would make sense to perhaps close one in one area in order to develop more provision perhaps say in a more central location,” he said.
A report on the topic is expected to come before councillors in the future.
Meanwhile Shetland Central councillor Moraig Lyall said she believed Tingwall – where there is plenty of social housing – would be a “prime candidate” if any new areas of playpark were developed.
This is because the current one is located in the grounds of the Tingwall Primary School and is effectively out of use during the school day to parents of children under five.
There are 84 play areas and 24 multicourts in Shetland, from Unst to Fair Isle.
Photo: Shetland News
A report to councillors said reviewing the “number and condition” of these is a potential solution to a challenge of ageing facilities and reduced maintenance budgets.
Extra Scottish Government funding was provided to recently install new items of inclusive play equipment at the Tingwall, Whalsay and Mid Yell Junior High School play areas.
A report to councillors said this funding will continue until 2026, with other future projects proposed.
Watt said Shetland’s playparks are inspected four times a year by local staff, and annually by an independent source.
He told councillors that the SIC had asked the outside inspectors to provide an “evaluation of each of those play areas”.
This evaluation looks at topics like play value, accessibility and the equipment, Watt added.
The SIC now has all of that information, which leads to a percentage score on how well each play area meets the needs of children.
Watt said the future report to councillors could include recommendations on what to do with some of the play areas.
Lerwick South councillors John Fraser asked if that report would look at identifying areas of underprovision, with Watt saying it depends on how it is presented.
Fraser said that there are some parts of Lerwick where there is “exceptional” provision but other areas which are lacking.
Meanwhile the report to councillors, on the work of Active Schools and the wider sport and leisure team, said the SIC could also seek capital funding to refresh toilets in King George V Play Park in Lerwick.
SNP Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick recently said new figures show that £91,000 of Scottish Government funding has been invested in Shetland’s playparks in 2024/25.
This included new equipment in the King George V Play Park. The Scottish Government has provided £35 million to renew or improve playparks across the country since 2021.
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