Invest in Play
SIF provided funding of over £3m for the construction of four accessible, high quality play facilities (Fixed Play Areas and Multi-Use Games Areas) strategically located within deprived communities in the Derry City Council area to improve health and wellbeing and promote healthier lives.
Project Name: | Invest in Play |
|---|---|
Zone: | Derry/Londonderry |
Category: | Capital |
Social Investment Fund Outcome: | Increasing Community Services |
Status: | Operational – Construction Complete |
Funding awarded: | £3,038,371 |
About the Project:
The project focussed on the need to increase facilities in recreation, sport and play for children and young people in the most deprived areas of the Derry City and Strabane Council area and improve social conditions for children living in these areas through increased play provision, potentially resulting in:
- Improved attainment at school (thus improving pathways to employment);
- Reduced anti-social behaviour;
- Improved awareness of social situations; and
- Reducing obesity and improving health.
There were four elements to the project, all of which were located within each of the local Neighbourhood Renewal Areas: Ballymagroarty Play Park, Kilfennan Valley Park, Ballyarnett Country Park and Brandywell. The play developments were jointly funded by the SIF and Derry City and Strabane District Council through its Parks Development Programme. Derry City Council is in ownership of the sites.
Investment allowed substantial play facility upgrades to the existing facilities in Ballymagroarty and Kilfennan and construction of two new purpose built playground facilities in Ballyarnett and Brandywell.
Progress to date:
The project has completed construction and is operational. The provision of these modern play area developments will allow young people and their families to enjoy a range of up to date equipment and facilities in a safe environment and will play a key role in promoting social interaction, emotional and cognitive development and mental and physical wellbeing. The programme of play areas has helped to contribute to the overall community development and redevelopment infrastructure, regenerating parks, open spaces and an expanded greenway network and maximising the benefits to everyone in the local communities in the SIF Derry/Londonderry zone.
Impacts:
Monitoring and evaluation of all Social Investment Fund projects is carried out using “Outcomes Based Accountability” (OBA). Where SIF has funded capital works, the project provides quarterly “post-capital” data for a period of 3 years which details the positive impacts enabled by the capital works undertaken. The Invest in Play project has completed its 3 years of post-capital monitoring. Below are the capital and post capital infographics which highlight the key impacts of the project.
