Work to increase the number of street play weekends in Glasgow next year will continue the city’s climate convenor has confirmed.
Street play weekends, where communities in the south, west and east of the city take full advantage of free road closures to allow children to play in a traffic free environment, has reduced from four to two as a result of the pandemic.
But councillor Angus Millar has confirmed that he is committed to supporting street play as well as the city administration’s strategy to reduce the number of cars in the city.
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During last Thursday’s full council meeting, Green councillor Jon Molyneux asked why there were only two street play weekends scheduled this year.
Councillor Millar responded: “When street play or playing out as it was originally known, was first introduced, the concept sought to remove cars from local areas and roads and free them up for community play.
“While the programme could be seen to be growing in 2018 and 2019, applications for street play events following the pandemic have reduced.”
The Convenor confirmed that following lockdown the number of street play weekends planned was one in 2021 and two in 2022 and 2023.
He also highlighted that “significant resources and regulatory requirements” to enable street play events can limit the number of weekends the council can organise and that he was keen to explore ways to address these barriers.
Councillor Millar added: “As convenor I have already tasked officers with scoping out new proposals to expand the number of street play weekends in future years and officers have begun a review to allow this to take place.
“The ongoing review is developing several actions, including working with the council’s communications team, to promote and support street play activity and engaging local groups and communities who have participated in street play in the past.
“[We will also] review the application process and finally identify a budget that can be used to support this activity.
“This work will be carried out over the course of the year with a view for an updated street play programme to be launched in January 2024 and that will be reported to committee.”
Councillor Molyneux said that he welcomed the comments and was pleased with the commitments to support more street play.
He said: “I welcome the comments, particularly on improving the promotion as in 2019, as the convenor notes, there were four weekends dedicated for street play events and this year there are only two.
“I know the convenor described street play in a promotional video as a fantastic success and we agree with him, but it doesn’t feel like it’s valued on that basis if opportunities to participate are reduced and there is then less promotion of it.
“So I am pleased that he is committed to renewing and reinvigorating that support going forward.”
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