Introduction
What makes a playing place?
Inspiring/Informative playing places
Kippen Skate Park
Gorgie/Dalry Community Park
Mugdock Country Park
The Yard
Giffnock Primary School
Garnethill Community Park
Balornock East Youth Centre
The Spire Park
Conclusion
References & Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
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Where is it? What's it like? What's the story?
Kippen Skate Park

Kippen Skate Park is a small, extremely popular, equipped skate park on the edge of a village in Stirlingshire. It's an excellent example of community action, and involving as many official bodies as possible to achieve a new local facility.
Where is it?
Kippen is a village east of Stirling, and the skate park is on the edge of Kippen along a rough track (you can hear the park from the road when there are skaters using it).
What's it like?
It's a new tarmac surface with a variety of skating equipment including rails, half pipe and fun box. The site is on the edge of a field, and has a boundary of young native trees and shrubs.
What's the story?

The skate park at Kippen was developed because local young people
felt that there was no local facility for them. The Community Council weren't able to help them so, with support from their parents, they set out to make a skate park. A committee (including adults and young people) was formed, advice on fundraising and skate park design was sought from specialists, and fund-raising started. Play services at Stirling Council were consulted, and agreed to take on the maintenance of the site (a very important consideration).

The park is built on Council land. The site was constructed about a year later, and is a resounding success. In fact, the park is so successful that it attracts complaints from local people that it is too noisy and too busy. (skaters come from across the Central Belt to skate on wood in preference to concrete, and it is quoted in a Glasgow web site as a good day out)
In terms of PLAY the project is very successful but play developers should be wary of being successful for one group, and creating problems for others.
The lease on the land at Kippen is due for renewal this year (2002) and it is possible that the equipment will have to be relocated.