The Go Slow in Marino group has now organised two community cycle events and six playing out events. The play events were moved around different locations in the community to spread the word widely and to reach as many families as possible. Many of the children (and adults!) met new friends and neighbours and got to play games they might not have tried before.....hopskotch, elastics, rounders.
Other events have included the distribution of Go Slow badges in local shops and an art competition at Christmas (see photos attached).
We are planning an event to distribute balloons for Valentines day (biodegradable of course), with the idea that these can be displayed on gates and gardens around our community to remind drivers to slow down.
Aside from the impact on children's experience of play in the community, our group has been instrumental in achieving changes in local infrastructure. These changes have increased the safety of the community for play. There is a now temporary filtered permeability trial now in place on one of the busiest roads in Marino. The local residents have been campaigning for this for many years due to the volume of commuters using the road as a rat run. We believe that the Go Slow in Marino and play events (one of which was held on that particular road) gave the extra push needed to get this over the line. The attached photo shows children walking down this road to school. The group has successfully campaigned for the reinstatement of a bollard near the pedestrian crossing to the local schools. We had a long period with no bollard, during which time cars were driving up on the path to park causing significant danger to the many children crossing to school at this busy junction. A stop sign has also been put in place at another junction in our area, replacing the yield sign that was there previously.
We have attempted to include views and opinions from across our community. A survey was distributed and we obtained 81 responses. The survey results highlighted that safety of roads impacted on the decisions families were making about their children walking or cycling to school/activities and their decisions on allowing children to play outside. There was overwhelming support for a number of suggested traffic measures, for example 84% were strongly in favour of zebra crossings at busy junctions. Ideas put forward by respondants including ideas that focused on the issue of parking, ideas on how to enforce existing traffic measures ideas about additional traffic measures, and ways of supporting increased cycling.
We were delighted to receive funding from ChangeX. The funding received to date has contributed towards materials to promote our project, including purchase of balloons with the Go Slow and 30 km logos. Any further funding will support us in obtaining insurance for future play events (through local Residents Association) and help us to continue to work towards making our community a safer place for our youngest (and oldest) community members. We are hopeful that we can bring about further changes to support children to play and move around the community safely. We believe that even small changes can contribute to long term benefits, in terms of improvements in children's social, physical and mental health, and increased community cohesion.
Our last playing out for Summer 2022.
about 40 kids playing out with elastics, skipping, chalk, rounders amongst others.
more fun in planning for halloween next!
Another great playing out session yesterday Tuesday 16th August with about 25 kids having fun!
AN INVITATION TO PLAY
Our next Go Slow in Marino and Play event will be on Croydon Park avenue (at the DWalls) at 5 pm on Tuesday 16th. Children of all ages welcome to come along and join in the fun.
* Children to be accompanied by a parent/guardian *
These events are kindly supported by A Playful Street and the Lego Foundation
@aplayfulcity
Thanks also to Marino Residents Association for their support
For more info on community initiatives like this check out the website:
https://www.changex.org/ie/playful-street
The fourth Go Slow in Marino Play Event took place this week, in glorious sunshine. We had the biggest turn out yet, with a good mix of ages and some of older community coming by to lend their support. This play event took place on a small green area (Fairview Green) that is divided by a road. This road that is often used by commuters avoiding the traffic on nearby main roads. For this play event, the road was partially closed, with signage indicating that children were playing and adults on standby to remind drivers to slow down. A chalk rainbow zebra crossing also served as a safer way for children to cross from one green area to another during the play event.
The play pack from Playful Street was put to good use, with bunting drawing the attention of passers by. A local parent demonstrated some impressive bubble making skills, much to the delight of both children and adults.
A short video montage can be seen in the attached link.
The Go Slow in Marino play events will continue for the next two weeks, moving to different green spaces in Marino. The change of location for each event is to help us reach as many members of our community as possible. By providing opportunities for safe outside play to as many children as we can, we hope to build community support for making the streets of Marino playful again.
Action plan for further play events:
* Run two further events (all events on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. for consistency)
* Advertise events through social media (e.g. Go Slow in Marino facebook page, Marino Residents Association twitter and instagram) and in local shops
* Unofficial partial blockage of traffic - use of signage to limit space for cars to pass, encourage drivers to slow down
* Related events include a Fun Cycle on Sunday August 14th
Our 4th Go Slow in Marino Play event will take place on Tuesday 9th August at 5 p.m. on Fairview Green.
A chance for children in our community to meet, make new friends, learn some games, and enjoy their community space safely.
Come and join us. Children of all ages welcome.
Reminder Parents/guardians are responsible for their own children's safety.
Playing out with A Playful City - Go Slow in Marino - Summer 2022
Through Go Slow in Marino campaign we are working with the community for safe play and safe routes to school for our children
Team: Marian Kelly, Eva Cantwell, Anna Deegan, Karl Stanley, Aoife Brinkley, Sara Terry, Mirko Gigli
Tuesdays 5pm around Marino (Subject to change)
Play Ideas:
Chalk - Hopscotch
Skipping & rhymes
Elastics
Books
Kerbs
Football etc
Bubbles
Traffic Lights
What time is mr wolf?
Card Games
Memory Games
Simon Says - 2 parts/3 parts - eg twirl and clap/shake, touch your nose and sit down
Freeze Dance
Dodgeball
Tug of War
Sly Fox game
Captains orders
Nature scavanger hunt sheets (2 versions - preschool and primary)
Rounders
Resources required:
Safety Signs - 4 purchased already out of personal funds - receipts available.
Large Free Play toys - eg Connect 4, blocks, arts and crafts
Megaphone
Skipping Ropes - large and individual ones
Footballs
Tennis Balls
Hula Hoops
