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ed Parks Department and does all that is possible to provide the populace with facilities for
relaxation, recreation, sports and games in an endeavour to promote the health of all age groups
within the Borough.
Recreation generally has become very important in the minds of the public who, more
than ever, enjoy extended hours of leisure. The Institute of Park and Recreation Administration
is very much aware of their varying demands, and advises its members to give serious consideration
to, and approve of, those items in their recreational programmes that meet the needs of the
public, and suggests that future items for such programmes must be included or not according
to their popularity and the general demand for them. The scarcity of land for such purposes, in
most urban areas, is so acute that we cannot afford to provide facilities that are not being used
to the maximum. Steps must be taken to ensure that the public obtain all the benefits from their
public parks services.
Bishops Park and South Park provide "Toddlers' Greens" where various items of play
equipment are installed for the use of children up to the age of 5 who can play there under the
care of parent or responsible adult. No other children are allowed into these areas, which have
proved a great boon to the parents of very young children. If they are too young to play on the
equipment they can romp about on the grass whilst their mothers, having confidence in the lady
attendants who keep a watchful eye on their charges, can relax.
For the older children there are several reservations where they are provided with the
usual type of playground equipment, in addition to which they have paddling pools, sand playpits
and hard surface play areas where ball and other games are popular. The park attendant is
always ready to check the too rampageous youngster, maintaining that "Fair play" should be the
maxim for such playgrounds.
Three of these hard surface playgrounds are floodlit and are thus available for further
organised play, under the supervision of play-leaders. During the winter months this means a
period of play extended until 9.0 p.m. each evening.
The park attendants, with reasonable knowledge of first aid and access to necessary
medical kit, can deal with the usual minor accident. They are also instructed in the procedure
to follow should a serious accident happen.
Recreation for adults is wide and varied. Here again the parks services cater in no
small way in providing sports and games facilities in an endeavour to satisfy the demands of
the various age groups.
The bowling greens always appeal strongly to the older members of both sexes. They
play the game with real enthusiasm which must give a great boost to their morale. Greenkeepers,
on occasions, complain they are too fastidious.
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