Better living for children

Press, 9 April 1979, Page 16

Better living for children

As i‘s contribution to the International Year of the Child the Ministry of Works and Development is mounting an exhibition to suggest ways of making communities more stimulating, enjoyable and safe for children. The display consists of five panels of photographs and diagrams with captions. Each panel illustrates a different theme.

These are environment, traffic separation, greenway designs, new community designs and existing communities. The environmental message is that children need areas of bush and scrub and long grass, trees and hills, and hard surfaces for skating, cycling and ball games as well as conventional playing areas. And an urban neighbourhood community of 3000 to 5000 people should be able to provide all this in safe surroundings away from heavy traffic. A picture of a busy city

intersection where traffic is turning and pedestrians are crossing illustrates the main point made about traffic separation: “Pedestrians, which includes large numbers of children and mothers, simply don’t mix with traffic; planning can come up with better ways of handling these situations.” New housing neighbourhoods should include

greenways free from traffic, noise and pollution. They would make it safe for children to walk or cycle to school, kindergarens, play centres, shops and other community facilities. The idea of an associated greenway reserve system is also suggested, where children could play with the maximum use being made of any trees, water and rocks already there. O"e diagram shows a possible new type of neighbourhood. At the centre in the greenway system, shops, schools and

other community buildings are grouped within easy walking distance of ail households. In the main housing areas there would also be play areas for small children within a short and safe distance of each home. In existing communities, streets can be made safe for children by narrowing small sections of the road; for example, with raised planting areas which incorporate children’s play spaces, thereby slowing traffic. Another method suggested is shutting off the street entirely by means of small paved areas. This would make it generally safer to walk to neighbourhood schools, shops and other community facilities and also provide room for children’s play areas. Playgrounds, amenities and even small reserves could be established on the sites of demolished buildings and be linked by walkways. The exhibition will travel to any place in New Zealand on request. The panels come packed in two crates and there are two copies of the display — one for the North Island and one for the South Island.

From the Ministry of Works and Development