Colourful walls with cartoon characters like Doremon, Chhota Bhim, Mickey Mouse, Tom and Jerry, graffiti walls, art zone, maze, outdoor sports, water fountains and splash, making the entry and rides friendly for the physically challenged and more and more interesting games like rock climbing are the elements children wanted to see in the city parks in future.
Twenty-one members from Humara Bachpan Campaign gave their ideas on building a smart park and had an open discussion with planners, administrators and horticulture experts at the lawn of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority.
They spoke on how many parks do have a wrong design element as they have dangerous drains encircling their walls making them prone to accidents.
One child leader said how there are many parks which are unable to engage the parents if they come with the kids. Some are able to engage the elders, but lack facilities for kids. She was of the opinion that all parks should be built with an idea to engage all age groups in a family.
Another child leader described that many parks after the sunset were becoming unfriendly for kids as they lack proper lighting arrangements inside them.
Usharani Patra, Jasmin Priyadarshini and Rupak Kumar Gowda took part in major discussions. All were later divided into four groups and created four different models for child-friendly smart parks.
The workshop was organised to discuss the various challenges listed by the kids to be addressed and what they want towards child-friendly smart parks across the city. However, in the preliminary stage seven child-friendly smart parks will be developed within the smart district area and later it would be replicated in all 67 city parks.
As per the kids’ discussion the major challenges are no parking in most of the parks, no dustbins inside or outside, no visibility of an entrance, no ramps for the challenged, dull surroundings, park without a green look, no lights inside the park, lack of children’s play zone, no or inadequate sitting arrangements, no first aid box, no toilets, no security, lack of greenscape, grass or flower beds, lack of safe playing equipment or rides and last but not the least, there is nothing for a toddler inside the parks.
“We invited the kids from Standard II up to Plus Two so that we can have their issues heard and document the suggestions in a proper manner. While re-designing the parks we have to ensure that all these elements are addressed and the parks become friendly for our future generation,” said a landscape planner from BDA.
The event was organised at BDA in association with the Bernard van leer Foundation as the latter was behind the creation of a Child Friendly Smart City Centre (CFSCC) at BDA in association with the National Institute of Urban Affairs.