Sheffield street transformed into play place as suburb rolls back the years

Play was put back on the road as a street in a Sheffield suburb was taken over by children and families.
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Holberry Gardens in Broomhall was temporarily closed between noon and 4pm for three days to give children the chance to play games outdoors safely, which they regularly did in the 1980s.

Play Streets is part of a national resident-led initiative started in Bristol to help neighbourhoods who were frustrated that their children have nowhere to play safely outside their houses.

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The Play Street in Broomhall was the idea of local resident Polly Blacker who looks after the green community spaces on Holberry Gardens and Havelock Street through the Help Environmental Regeneration in Broomhill organisation.

Play Street event held on Holberry Gardens in BroomhallPlay Street event held on Holberry Gardens in Broomhall
Play Street event held on Holberry Gardens in Broomhall

Polly, whose long-term aim is to either make the road a permanent Play Street or a 5MPH zone, said: “We had 25 children a day, every day, cycling, skating and scooting.

"There were lots of adults too, so there were lots of conversations, sitting together, talking, trying skateboarding. It was really nice.”

She added the children involved want the scheme extended to Havelock Street so they could turn corners. Polly will now look at trying to get the Play Street set up once a week, possibly at weekend.

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"Everyone seems positive and we’ve got something to build on, whether it is after school aor at weekends,” she said.

Play Street event held on Holberry Gardens in BroomhallPlay Street event held on Holberry Gardens in Broomhall
Play Street event held on Holberry Gardens in Broomhall

Local residents were able to drive to and from their houses during the road closures as long as they drove at 5MPH. The event built on the success of the Beat the Street game where children walked and cycled to set points on a map.

Alasdair Menmuir, engagement coordinator for Beat the Street, said: “People who grew up in the 1980s and earlier were used to playing out and being called on by friends.

"A lot of people miss that. The statistics show 82% of adults played out as children and only 12% do now.

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"But we want to concentrate on the positives because children have been reclaiming spaces during the pandemic and we can support that.

"Road closures are an opportunity to create a more active and safer environment and you could have this on a weekly basis. The residents were overwhelmingly in favour of Play Streets.”

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