CARDIFF is piloting a new initiative to transform lanes and alleyways into fun, green and safe spaces for children to play in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The city council has pledged to convert two disused alleyways in Grangetown into “child-friendly spaces” for the scheme, known as the Safe Play Lanes Project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis new scheme will give a new purpose to the back lanes in Grangetown, so that children can enjoy outdoor activities on their doorsteps in a Covid-safe way,\u201d said Councillor Michael Michael, Cabinet Member for Clean Streets and Environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project, which \u201caims to increase opportunities for children to play safely whilst promoting community cohesion,\u201d was unveiled this month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part of the investment, which is aimed at placing the voices of children and young people at the heart of the city\u2019s policies, includes consultation with local communities to shape the design of the lanes and encourage residents to \u201ctake ownership\u201d of the project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Twenty lanes have so far been nominated with further public consultation set to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lynne Thomas, a manager at project facilitator Community Gateway, assured residents that the initiative would not simply be a makeover of two lanes. The project would work with residents to develop \u201ceasy tool kits\u201d on how to transform other disused areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is a brilliant, creative way of looking at disused spaces,\u201d Ms Thomas told The Cardiffian.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHyper-localism has been one of the things to come out of the Covid lockdown. This project is about extending that hyper-local space into some areas that aren\u2019t necessarily used as much as they could be.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ms Thomas is not the only one optimistic about the Safe Play Lanes Project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Harriet Horn, 31, runs an online management consultancy company in Grangetown and has signed up as a volunteer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to look nicer and be better for all the kids, I think \u2013 and adults. I\u2019m looking forward to it,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s better for parents, I think, if you worry about your children going down these lanes and there is fly-tipping. At least they know that this will be tidy and clean.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI would love it if I was a lot younger. If I had my scooter or something, you know, you\u2019d take the lanes down there.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n She herself lives in a flat and does not have access to a garden so she welcomes the prospect of more green urban spaces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve only got five plants which I have in my office in front of me. When you just need that place to get out from the city centre, it\u2019s quite nice to go to a green area.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is just the latest in a series of initiatives to help Cardiff be formally recognised as a UNICEF UK Child Friendly City, a community in which the rights of children form an integral part of public policy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In January children and young people were asked to help shape Cardiff using Minecraft, an initiative known as Craft Your City. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Councillor Sarah Merry said: \u201cChildren have a right to play and by enabling them to play safely near their own homes means that they can enjoy the outdoors, see friends and be near their families. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe scheme will help reconnect communities, providing an opportunity for residents to reclaim the space and create welcoming, safe and attractive environments for everyone to enjoy.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cardiff is piloting a new initiative to transform lanes and alleyways into fun, green and safe spaces for children to play in. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":553,"featured_media":52119,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70,3],"tags":[52,71,7190],"coauthors":[6737],"class_list":["post-52107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grangetown","category-news","tag-cardiff-council","tag-grangetown","tag-play-areas"],"yoast_head":"\n