It’s official. Leswin Road will be closed to traffic for one afternoon every month so that the kids can play in the street. With no cars to worry about, the road and the pavements will become our front yard.
There’ll be some footballs, some goals, some big chalks for adding colour to the streets but bring your bikes, skateboards or whatever games and toys you want. Most of all, bring your enthusiasm, your fun and your neighbourly chat.
The events will take place each month on the section of Leswin Road between Batley Road and Evering Road between 3.30pm and 6.30pm with the next one set to take place on 11th July 2014, a.k.a Friday week. Whether you have young ones or not, come out, chew the fat and put names to those faces you pass every day.
DETAILS
Date
Friday 11th July 2014 and then every second Friday of each month from there on in. That’s 8th August, 12th September, 10th October and so on. I’m sure you can figure it out. We may decide to give it a break in the winter but we’ll work that out when we get there.
Place
Leswin Road (between Batley Road and Evering Road)
Time
3.30pm - 6.30pm. Nothing more, nothing less.
Bad weather
Eventually, we’re going to encounter some bad weather. Ultimately, it’s up to us - or more likely our children - if they want to play on. Wrap them up, waterproof them and they probably won’t care.
Food
Last time we got a good deal on some plain cheese and tomato pizzas for the children which were delivered to the street at 5pm. We’re looking into something similar again for each session. If the mood takes you to bake or prepare any bits and pieces to share with your neighbours, then we’ll love you forever but it’s by no means compulsory nor expected. For drinks, there’ll be jugs of cordial. Anything else, you’d best bring yourself.
Who can come?
You, your children, your friends and your children's friends. Invite who you like, really. If it starts turning into Glastonbury, then we might start to reconsider things. But it won’t, and we won’t have to.
Your Car
Park it on another section of the road, please. It’s much better when we’ve got the whole width of the street to enjoy. Prepare for passive-aggressive reminders under your windscreen wipers.
Your Wheelie Bin (No.s 1-22)
We’re going to create safety barriers at either end of the traffic-free zone and, to do that, we’d like to use your brown wheelie bin. Hope that’s ok. Please leave them in front of your house. We’ll make sure we put them back after.
Games
We’ll have some football goals and some big chalk with which the artists can doodle on the pavements. Other than that, it’s really entirely up to your children what they’d like to bring out.
Disclaimer
Your children will remain your responsibility during the event. We know you know this but it needs to be said. So, there it is. We said it.
Going forward
Our Leswin Road Play Streets will doubtless grow and change as we do. We might turn it into a bit of a gala at some point. We might even theme it every now and then. We’ll see what happens. The important part is that the kids have a good time.
If you have any suggestions or would like to volunteer your help as a marshal, then drop me a line. My name is Dan and you can get hold of me as below.
Contact
Please feel free to contact Dan on 07798 855907 or dansung@outlook.com for any further info, or come round to 3 Leswin Road and see if I answer. I might.
