Play Areas, Ball Courts and Skate Parks
Last updated: 10 January 2012 13:07 UKPlay 2000 was an initiative founded over 10 years ago and its aim was to see that every unsupervised play area in Portsmouth was brought up to the same high standard, in keeping with the needs and wishes of local people. More recently, between 2008-10 a further £2.5 million was invested through the Play Pathfinder initiative, designed to develop free, open access play opportunities in the city which are inclusive, natural and innovative for all children and young people.
Together these initiatives have achieved a play area within half a mile, or 15 minute walk, of all residents in the city. There are now nearly 100 sites in Portsmouth that offer free access to unsupervised play facilities in the city, with an additional six supervised adventure playgrounds. You can find a full list and further details of all play areas using the links below.
Our play areas have been designed to offer a wide variety of opportunities, ranging from a 'doorstep' provision within housing estates that serve as a basic provision for local residents, to those in our parks and open spaces that are able to offer a broad variety of activities for a wider age-range. Across the city, many sites have a ball court or ball games provision and some sites have a BMX or skate facility to cater for these increasingly popular activities.
Most recently two Southsea sites have incorporated water-based play - a dedicated splashpool can be found near to D-Day Museum and Canoe Lake play area incorporates a splash pad facility.
For more information, please contact the Parks Service
More information about play areas
Accessible Play in ParksAdventure playgrounds
Portsmouth Play Areas
Play Inspections and Feedback
BMX and Skate Facilities
