A playground and activity centre is proving to be a great success with children at Broadstone in Dublin.
The playground at Broadstone is an important part of neighbourhood community life. There has been a playground here for over 50 years, but it was not until last April that an indoor facility was made available to the children. A club was set up with a play centre for those aged from two to eighteen and is open to the public seven days a week. Five full-time and three part-time leaders take it in turn to organise activities and events.
Broadstone is just one of ten playgrounds run by the Corporation in Dublin City.
Michael Keogh, a community worker at Dublin Corporation, outlines some of the facilities on offer. There are now two football pitches, a basketball court, two handball alleys, a monkey puzzle, slides, swings, a rounders pitch, and tennis courts.
Indoor activities organised for the young people are arts and crafts, dressmaking, table tennis, pool, and cookery. Between 70 and 90 children use the facilities each day. Children come from Broadstone and the surrounding area to take part.
Children are making use of the facilities while at the same time learning new skills. Fiona has learnt to sew and is busy creating a dress for the Make and Model Competition. She also enjoys cooking and playing pool at the centre.
Maebh is a keen baker and is making some shortcrust pastry. One of the most challenging cakes she has made is an Oxford Lunch, but she seems to have mastered the recipe now. The club has even won prizes for its Oxford Lunch.
Michael Keogh would like to see the club run more activities providing everyone in the community with an opportunity to participate. The playground and club are busiest during the summer months when there could be up to 200 children visiting each day. The club has previously organised hostelling weekends away for members. There are also day excursions and visits to museums. While the playground itself is free to use, members of the club pay a small subscription to cover any expenses.
This episode of 'Let's Go' was broadcast on 11 March 1980. The presenter is Ann Marie McCauley.
