Kensington Memorial Park - Draft Masterplan

We asked for your views on the existing features in Kensington Memorial Park with the aim of making improvements throughout the park using the feedback and ideas from the local community. The consultation was split into three phases; Initial Ideas and Feedback, Focus Group Sessions and a formal survey. Idea and comments have been split into categories according to the type of activity they represent – future of park buildings, sport and fitness facilities, other proposals and playground improvements.

Future of park buildings:

• Support for housing the café/kiosk in a new building near its existing location. The new building is also intended to house the sports changing rooms, public toilets, Changing Places toilet and grounds maintenance office. 50 per cent of respondents supported this proposal versus 36 per cent who supported housing the café/kiosk in the refurbished toilet block. 13 per cent of respondents did not support either of these options. 
• No clear support for a preferred use for the refurbished toilet block. 40 per cent of respondents outlined that they did have a preferred use versus 60 per cent who said that they did not have a preferred use. Respondents who did not support either option were asked to provide alternative ideas and out of those 11 supported having the changing rooms next to the football pitch.
• Out of the respondents who had another preferred use for the refurbished toilet block the top three responses were to refurbish into a well maintained toilet block (13 responses), transform into a café (10 responses) and extend the building to house changing rooms (9 responses).

Sport and fitness facilities:

• Support for installing an outdoor gym with a mix of calisthenics and machine equipment near St Mark’s Road. 64 per cent of respondents supported this proposal versus 20 per cent against and 16 per cent who were neutral.
• Support for modifying one of the tennis courts to include basketball nets and line markings. 57 per cent of respondents supported this proposal versus 24 per cent against and 19 per cent who were neutral.
• Support for installing anti-glare spill floodlights around the tennis courts. 52 per cent of respondents supported this proposal versus 19 per cent against and 29 per cent who were neutral.
• Support for installing a junior fitness circuit to replace teenager play items near St Mark’s Road. 50 per cent of respondents supported this proposal versus 22 per cent against and 29 per cent who were neutral.

Other proposals:

• Support for installing a dog agility area in the picnic table area to the south of the tennis courts. 50 per cent of respondents supported this proposal versus 28 per cent against and 21 per cent who were neutral. 14 people also commented that dogs need to be able to use all space in the park.
• There was no clear support for installing a new hard footpath around one of the grass areas. 47 per cent of respondents supported this proposal versus 32 per cent against and 21 per cent who were neutral.

Children’s playground improvements

Toddler Playground:

• Satisfaction with current toddler playground: A net total of 45 per cent (6 per cent very satisfied, 39 per cent satisfied) of respondents were satisfied with the current junior playground. A net total of 22 per cent (19 per cent dissatisfied, 3 per cent very dissatisfied) of respondents were dissatisfied with the current toddler playground.
• Types of equipment to include in toddler playground proposals: The most popular play options were swings, a slide and climbing. The least popular options were hanging, spinning and balancing.

Junior Playground:

• Satisfaction with current junior playground: A net total of 44 per cent (9 per cent very satisfied, 35 per cent satisfied) of respondents were satisfied with the current junior playground. A net total of 22 per cent (19 per cent dissatisfied, 3 per cent very dissatisfied) of respondents were dissatisfied with the current junior playground.
• Types of equipment to include in junior playground proposals: The most popular play options were a zip wire, climbing and swings. The least popular options were spinning, balancing and bouncing.

Shade and shelter from the elements in the children’s playground:

• Support for providing shade and shelter. 82 per cent of respondents said they would like more areas that provide shade and shelter versus 13 per cent against.

The results will be used to help with the scope and priority of the works and Council will be working to establish a Kensington Memorial Park Steering Group and other sub groups to prioritise and implement supported works where possible.