FAMILIES in Liverpool’s Chinatown will soon have a refreshed and more welcoming place to play, with work now underway to transform the Great George Square play area.
Liverpool City Council is working with Wicksteed to install a new playground, which has been designed in collaboration with families in the area.
The new design, which is themed around the zodiac, will feature equipment suitable for children aged between 4 and 12.
There will be a variety of inclusive pieces added to the play area, including sensory play panels, swings and a wheelchair-accessible roundabout.
Dual language panels will be featured across the playground including phrases in Chinese and British Sign Language.
The play area has been designed around the Chinese idea of Anji Play, which is focused on child-led play, where children are free to choose their own level of risk and challenge when it comes to using the equipment.
The work has now started and is due to take approximately one month to complete.
It forms part of a wider investment project by the Council around Great George Street.
Included within the works is a ceremonial memorial garden to honour the history of the Chinese community in Liverpool. Two new traditional guardian lions, donated by the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester will also be installed later this year to celebrate. Liverpool-Shanghai sister-city’s relationship.
The Council is also working with Global Street Art on a new mural in Chinatown as part of wider Chinatown public realm improvement project.
Further improvements to play areas in Everton Park will also take place next week, as part of the focus on improving playgrounds across the city. So far seven play areas have seen significant upgrades and the council has committed to replacing all worn-out play equipment across the city as part of its budget.
