In 2022, City of Canning partnered with Play Australia, La Trobe University and community organisations Baris Education & Culture Foundation and Little Learners Playgroup, to deliver Play Street trials in Queens Park. As a result six Play Streets took place involving 289 neighbours.
The Neighbourhood and Engagement Team at the City of Canning were planning Play Streets in their local communities for three years, and selected Queens Park community for the Play Street trial program.
The pilot Play Streets were held as part of "Wanju Welcome Queens Park", a local initiative that celebrates the diversity of community and nurtures connections between people and the places they share. Queens Park Play Streets aimed to help grow social connections, improve feelings of belonging amongst newly arrived communities and boost civic participation.
Process
City of Canning staff actively supported resident volunteers to navigate all aspects of planning and coordination of the gathering. This included supporting the Queens Park Community with activity ideas, marketing, and provision of equipment. It also involved support to complete forms and the approval process (traffic management and road closures and public liability insurance). City staff were also actively present at the gatherings, engaging with the community and promoting the City's services.
Play Streets were inclusive and community friendly and were planned to ensure that everyone felt welcome. Each gathering had designated people that welcomed arrivals, introduced people and provided name tags, which all helped to connect people. There were a range of activities for everyone to participate in, from art and craft, lucky dips, sand and water sensory tables, to modified sports and giant games. And of course, residents brought food to share on their street, which was a great way to connect and share the cultures.
Residents also had an opportunity to connect with a range of local community services including the City's Neighbourhood Watch and Waste Education teams.
Approvals
- Create a short event plan (idea, who, what and why) so you can seek support from your neighbours and local government
- Contact your council to seek support and permission for the event. In most instances you will talk to the Community Development, Events or Engagement Teams.
- An event or street party application will likely be required by your Council
- Council should handle all other approvals relating to traffic management planning and notification of emergency services (note: practices do vary from Council to Council).
Activities on the Day
A range of activities for everyone to participate in, from art and craft, lucky dips, sand and water sensory tables, to modified sports and giant games. Residents brought food to share on their street. Residents had an opportunity to connect with local community services including the City's Neighbourhood Watch and Waste Education teams.
Doing Checklist
How to Set up a Play Street
Doing Checklist
How to do Playful Intervention
Statistics and Outcomes
All six Play Streets were well attended by the local community and feedback was very positive. The gatherings created opportunities for the neighbours to get to know each other and interact, and for children to play outside. This in turn, improved community connectedness and inspired the community to interact more with each other and organise their own resident gatherings in the future, including a neighbourhood Halloween gathering in a local park.
The City conducted surveys of attendees (n=18) and organisers (n=10) and identified key community impacts and results of the program:
More connected communities in Queens Park. As a result of the Play Street:
- 100% of respondents improved their confidence to talk to people in the street
- 100% of respondents improved their connection to others in the street
- 94% of respondents improved their feelings of safety in their street/community
- 93% of respondents indicated that their children improved connection to others in the street as well
More children's outdoor play in Queens Park. As a result of the Play Street:
- 93% of parents and caregiver intend to support their child to play outside with other neighbour's children more regularly
- 94% of parents and caregiver indicate their children have increased their amount of time playing outside
- 100% of parents and caregiver indicate their children have improved their overall physical activity
- 80% of parents and caregivers indicate they are now more confident to support their child/ren to play outside
More support for Queens Park communities: Queens Park Play Street Hosts who responded to the survey all rated City of Canning support as "very helpful". Respondents also indicated that City's staff support improved their connection to the council as well as improved their confidence to plan neighbourhood gatherings.
Benefits
- More connected and engaged community!
- Increased feelings of belonging and perceptions of safety
- More confident parents in support of neighbourhood play
- More children playing outside in neighbourhoods
- More opportunities for civic participation amongst neighbours
- Project inspire community to think outside the box and take action
- Project brings attention and encourage conversation around our streets, role of the cars and people, safety
- Project advocates for safer, greener, more vibrant and attractive streets for people.
- Can be the first step towards repurposing parking spaces into community places like parklets and possibly speed reduction.
What Worked
By engaging in adequate pre-planning and involving local partners, Queens Park Play Streets were successful in not only connecting neighbours, but also in connecting the community to services in their area (such as childcare, community houses, kindergartens as well as other support services).
Through involvement in Play Streets, residents gained the confidence to continue to organise more opportunities for neighbours to connect and play in the local park, which demonstrates that Play Streets can be a catalyst for ongoing impact.
There was overwhelming positive feedback from the Queens Park community involved, about the supports provided from Council, demonstrating that a positive Play Streets experience can really work to enhance the relationship between Council and community.
Play Streets can be organised at no cost for residents involved. All participants can bring their own games, activities, seating and food to share. You can also seek in kind assistance from local government, local community groups and businesses.
Cost of road closure and traffic management, if applicable, and public liability insurance should be covered by your Local Government via in kind contribution or a community funding program.
"City of Canning were very supportive and continue to build strong relationships with all residents of Queen's Park. Thank you very much for the support you gave us."
"It provides a good opportunity to get to know your neighbour and create a sense of community."
"I did not have that much fun with my kids for long time. To have a safe and secure open street for them to play was wonderful"
