Participatory design process transcript

Title: Normanton All Abilities Playground opening celebrations, 21 October 2010

All abilities playgrounds enable children with and without a disability to play together, side-by-side. What do you think an all abilities playground is?

Caption: Esther Murphy, Normanton resident

Esther: It's a place where children of all abilities [and] disabilities can meet. It's easy-accessible. There's toys that will that will suit all kinds of abilities and they've got wheelchair access. [It's] fun and where they can meet and play and learn.

Caption: Mark Kelleher, Chief Executive Officer, Carpentaria Shire Council

Mark: An all abilities playground for me, as the CEO of council, is an area where all the kids can come and play, young and old. I've witnessed that numerous times with kids, from early hours of the morning, can't wait to play in the new playground through to when it's dark. We've had to turn the lights on for the first few weeks because the kids were so excited about using the new playground.

Caption: Rowie McDonald, Assistant, Carpentaria Kindergarten

Rowie: It is something that everybody can play on; somebody with a disability can play as well as somebody without a disability.

Text on screen: Why is this kind of play space important?

Caption: Carmin Owens, Director, Carpentaria Kindergarten

Carmin: Different organisations have their own little playground, but this one is open to the public, which is really good.

Esther: In Normanton, there are very little activities for children to do outside of structured day care, school etcetera. It's something neutral where families can come with their children and I think it's really important. They can socialise and learn new skills. I think we've been lacking that for a very long time so it's very exciting.

Rowie: There's no other [public] playground in town, so it gives everybody a chance ... because there is no other playground in town!

Text on screen: What makes the state's new all abilities playgrounds so unique is the involvement of community members throughout the design process. Why do you think it is important for residents to have a say in design?

Rowie: Because at least everybody feels involved; they get there say. If it is not wanted, they still got their chance to say it.

Esther: The community knows what they want; they know what's going to work. If you've got involvement, people are going to work with you, not against you and you're going to have a more successful outcome.

Carmin: Anne (former council community development officer) involved different organisations by sending out flyers and bought in activities for the children to actually design the playground.

Mark: In this case, we have the serpent snake and that is a reflection of the history [of] Normanton and the Gulf. We have a high indigenous population and, of course, that is represented by the high number of indigenous children in our area – and they all come.

Text on screen: At the end of the day, what are you most proud of?

Mark: We finished the playground, literally as the concrete was setting, on a Friday afternoon and we knew that the [local rugby league] grand final was coming up on the Saturday night. I popped in late Saturday afternoon before the match and the kids were starting to pour in. The kids took no notice of the grand final and I reckon we had 300 children playing on the new equipment ... and every bit of that equipment lasted the night.

END.