24/07/20

A further 20 children's play areas in Cardiff will be re-opened on Monday (27^thJuly) following the initial 30 sites that opened last week.

Play areas are being opened on phased basis, following a safety first approach and with a view to ensuring that children across the city have some play provision in their local area as quickly as possible.

The 20 play areas that will open from lunchtime on Monday are:

Adamscroft open space(Adamsdown);Belmont Walk (Butetown); Windsor Esplanade(Butetown);Trelai Park(Caerau);Bute Park Play Trail(Cathays);Maindy Park(Cathays);Whitland Crescent(Fairwater);Maitland Park(Gabalfa);Heol y Delyn(Lisvane);Watkin's Square(Llanishen);Waun Fach(Pentwyn);Parc Coed y Nant(Pentwyn);Penuel Road(Pentyrch);Sovereign Chase(Penylan);Cwm Farm Junior(Radyr);Cym Farm Toddler(Radyr);Splott Park(Splott);Tremorfa Park(Splott);Heritage Park(Trowbridge);Hollybush(Whitchurch & Tongwynlais)

In line with Welsh Government guidance and health and safety legislation all sites have gone through a Covid-19 risk assessment and the equipment and safety surfaces have been inspected by a qualified playground inspector, prior to re-opening.

Changes have been made to some play areas to help maintain social distancing and minimise risk of transmitting Covid-19 - for example, some swing seats have been removed to ensure a 2 metre distance is maintained.

To help ensure safety, new signage has also been installed, asking families using the sites to:

• wash or sanitise their hands, before, after and during using the equipment;
• keep a 2 metre distance from others not in their household;
• limit visits to 30 minutes during busy times;
• only have a maximum of one adult per child in the play area.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Peter Bradbury, said: "We know that families are keen to enjoy these facilities again, but much as we're looking forward to children enjoying our play areas again, it's really important that they can do so safely.

"Our small team of qualified playground inspectors are working hard to risk assess, inspect, repair and replace equipment at our 116 facilities as quickly as possible, prior to them re-opening, and we hope to have all our play areas open again soon.

"Until then, difficult as I fully understand it can be, it's important for safety reasons that parents don't allow children to use any play areas which have not been officially opened."

"Families visiting play areas also need to take responsibility for keeping themselves and others safe, maintaining social distancing and making sure that hands are washed before and after their visit."

The 30 play areas which are already open are:

Adamsdown Square(Adamsdown); Hodges Square(Butetown); Loudon Square(Butetown); Craiglee Drive(Butetown); Emblem Close(Caerau);Heol Homfrey(Careau); Jubilee Park(Canton); Sanatorium Road - Toddler(Canton); Cogan Gardens(Cathays); Green Farm Road(Ely); Beechley Road(Fairwater); Chorley Close(Fairwater); Maitland Road - agility area(Gabalfa); Sevenoaks Park(Grangetown); The Marl - Toddler(Grangetown); The Marl - Junior(Grangetown); Mill Heath Drive(LIsvane); St Martin's Crescent - Toddler(Llanishen); St Martin's Crescent - Junior(Llanishen); Coed y Gores(Pentwyn); Chapelwood(Pentwyn); Garth Olwg(Pentyrch); Cyncoed Gardens(Penylan); Shelley Gardens(Plasnewydd); Butterfield Park(Pontprennau / St Mellons); Fisherhill Way(Radyr / Morganstown); Wyndham Street(Riverside); Beaufort Square(Splott); Wilkinson Close(Splott); Heeol Maes Eirwg(Trowbridge).

More sites will be re-opened on Monday 3^rdAugust. Please follow us on Twitter @cardiffcouncil or on Facebook @cardiff.council1 for updates.