eibe creates Wild Adventure Play at Stratton Bates

08/12/2022

In early 2022 eibe play was invited to tender for the refurbishment of Stratton Bates play area, situated just of the main high street in New Alresford. This play area is very popular with the local community and is situated on a playing field that is regularly used for a wide range of activities by the families in the surrounding residents and beyond.
The existing play area was very run down, unused and unloved, and was very uninspiring for the local children using it. The play equipment was installed in the 1990s and was in the majority of old metal play equipment that offered little play value, installed onto black wet pour, which required repairing or resurfacing in most instances.
The council wanted to create a natural play space in keeping with the surroundings, offering a wide range of play offerings for children of all ages and abilities. They also wanted to create play opportunities for wheelchair users, with easy access to most of the play equipment.
eibe play met the council on site to discuss their plans and exciting ideas for the play space and took away vital information to start the design-making process.
As the client's brief was to keep the play area as natural as possible, we chose the majority of the play equipment from our fantastic Paradiso range and ensured the play equipment we decided for the new play offered a large amount of play value for children of all ages.The council's brief included play equipment for children between 2-12 years old and promoted risk and challenge wherever possible. This was music to our ears, as eibe play always tries to provide equipment that can promote risk and challenge, and that helps improve key development and physical skills such as teamwork or upper and lower body coordination.

eibe play chose a wide range of equipment, such as swings for toddlers, juniors and, of course, the ever-popular Nest Swing that up to 6 children can use at once. Other fantastic play equipment includes our interactive play panels, nature-themed spring rockers and playhouses. For the main climbing elements for this new play space, eibe play chose our Play Unit Gerda and bespoke Wira unit with Stainless Steel Tubular Slide. Both offer a large amount of play value, such as climbing and balancing, and both include fun slides to go down once you reach the top. For younger children, the play unit Gerda offers an introduction to climbing and balancing, and as they get older, they can challenge themselves with the Play Unit Wira.
Further play opportunities can be found on the large play mound we have installed. This includes a unique climbing wall inserted into the mound, a broad slide and our amazing tubular slide. The play mound also offers a great viewing point over the rest of the play area.
Another fantastic point of this play space is that children can access all the play equipment via an all-weather path leading throughout the play space. This is an excellent addition as it allows access to all the play equipment all year round.
The installation works for this play area started at the beginning of the hottest year on record since 1977 and was finished during a period of plus 30 degrees heat. Whilst this provided our installers with a challenge, eibe play managed to finish the play space at the start of the school holidays to ensure it can be used and loved for the entirety of this period.
As part of the after-care service we offer, eibe play will continue to monitor the play area's progress into the Autumn and beyond alongside the council.
We are very proud of this play space and look forward to working alongside New Alresford Town Council to ensure this play space remains a hit for years to come.