Charity that aims to make parks more appealing to teenage girls shares ideas with council
THE petition to refurbish Splott Park has sparked a conversation between local councillors and Make Space for Girls, a charity aiming to make parks more appealing to teenage girls.
Hundreds of residents signed the petition which will be presented at a full council meeting on March 17.
Jacqui Crowley, 51, a resident of Moorland Road, said: “We have a skatepark and a MUGA (Multi-use games area) but it isn’t often you see girls in it.
“Make Space for Girls are arguing that girls and women have just as much right to safe accessible public space that includes them rather than keeping them on the sidelines.”
Make Space for Girls lists a number of common factors which can make parks more appealing to teenage girls:
- better lighting;
- wider entrances to play areas;
- smaller, subdivided sports areas, or adding a second more open court;
- seating areas which are arranged in groups rather than lines;
- circular paths around the perimeter of the park;
- good quality toilets.
Susannah Walker, co-founder of Make Space for Girls, said: “A park that is designed with and for teenage girls does not just benefit teenage girls. It means a safer park, a cleaner park, and a park that is better for everyone.
“We would love to work with Cardiff Council, it is what we are here for as a charity. We are here to work with councillors, developers and anybody else who might want to talk to us to help them find solutions to the problem.”
Splott’s Labour councillors Ed Stubbs and Jane Henshaw have said they are happy to talk to the charity to make any refurbishment to the park as appealing as possible to everybody.
Coun Henshaw said: “ We will absolutely be listening to the voices of girls when we explore improvements to Splott Park. The council has a good track record of consulting young people.
“Despite that, we are aware that girls are often subtly silenced and their views not heard.”
- You can watch the council meeting on Thursday, March 17 here
