Playpark for All
The wonderful Playpark for All sits down by Lochside Park, just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Crannog. Close by a Changing Places Toilet is under construction and about to open soon.
The Playpark for All is an inclusive playpark, meaning it has disability-friendly equipment and access. CDDF and Dumfries and Galloway Council worked together to carry out consultation with the community to establish the most suitable location for the park and what elements were needed to make it accessible to all. Information gathered during the consultation was used to produce the final project design.
Changing Places toilets
Changing Places toilets have much larger spaces than disabled toilets so that an individual can be helped by a family member or carer. They also include an overhead hoist system, changing bench, height-adjustable wash basin and privacy screen. Since 2021 most new public buildings are now legally required to have a Changing Places toilet.
There are thousands of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, and people with a range of other disabilities including Cerebral Palsy, Motor Neurone disease, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke and some older people cannot use standard accessible toilets.
People may need equipment to help them to get on and off the toilet or to have continence pad changed. Standard accessible toilets (or “disabled toilets”) do not provide changing benches or hoists and most are too small to accommodate more than one person. Without Changing Places toilets, the person with disabilities and their carers and family assisting them are put at risk by having to use toilet floors as changing spaces.
The playpark was officially opened on Friday 15th September at Carlingwark Park.by Ian Blake, Chair of the Council’s Communities who said: “This project has been a great example of our Council and community partners working together to achieve a project which brings huge benefits to the local area and most importantly to our children and young people. The hard work and determination of CDDF is to be commended and the addition of fully accessible toilet facilities in Castle Douglas will make such a difference to the lives of many”.
Jackie McCamon, Vice Chair of Communities Committee said: “This is a great facility for Castle Douglas and has been a huge team effort. It is also fantastic that work is continuing to develop a Changing Places Toilet and improved path network to improve accessibility to this fantastic facility”.
Carolyn Yates, Chair of Castle Douglas Development Forum said: “It is wonderful to see this play park being used, particularly by children who require accessible equipment. Behind a project like this, there is a strong community and a strong partnership with the council. There are so many people to thank, in particular the volunteers who got this initiative started about five years ago, Tracy Walker, Holly Nelson and Gillian Warden, and the council officers who worked tirelessly to keep up the momentum – despite a pandemic intervening. Thanks also to the Allsopps for their sponsored activities, Wave Blues band for a fundraising gig and the people of the town who made private donations and who supported our fund raising events.
“We are grateful to the Holywood Trust for its generous donation that, in addition to supporting this playground, will also contribute to accessible pathways, fitness equipment, and a Changing Places toilet in the park. Other organisations that have provided financial support include our local Co-op, Barfill Charitable Trust, The Galloway Association of Scotland, The Rotary Club of Castle Douglas, and the town’s Common Good Fund. Without all this support and teamwork, projects like this that improve our town simply couldn’t happen.”
The Inclusive Play Park at Carlingwark Park has been installed by PROLUDIC (Scotland) LTD.
