Esk Road: 21st Century Play Area
Alan Jones Associates was the project manager, and was responsible for identifying the funding for this project through Community Spaces Scotland Big Lottery Fund following consultations between the local community and the Pupils’ Councils at Hilton and Cauldeen primary schools in Inverness.
In carrying out their play equipment selection, both Pupils’ Councils visited a number of established play areas in and around Inverness. From these visits, the most popular items of equipment were selected and four play companies were invited to design a twenty-first century play area. Once the designs were received, the joint Pupils’ Councils voted on the preferred design and a company was appointed.
A grant of £140,000 was provided by the Big Lottery which fully funded the project. The whole process from start to finish took 18 months. Apart from an innovative play area, the outcome was that both schools can use this learning experience as part of the Curriculum for Excellence.