
Slovak Governance Institute (SGI) along with municipality Bratislava – Nove mesto plan to contribute to positive changes of the playground at the Osadna Street in Bratislava in upcoming months. To know the needs and preferences of the visitors of the playground and reflect these in the planned interventions SGI organized planning participatory event on September, 26 from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm.
We chose comparative method as our research method. Our aim was to compare the individual needs and preferences of the target group at the playground (its visitors), as well as to identify group preferences based on age and gender of respondents, and if relevant, the number and age of their children. In order to gain the data we needed, we chose individual semi-structured interviews with the playground visitors - mothers, fathers, children, seniors, groups of nursery pupils and elementary school pupils from nearby nursery and elementary school at the Česká street.
We asked them questions from a unified questionnaire, but also gave them space for their own suggestions and recommendations.
In general, the playground is perceived in a positive light. The visitors are overall content, especially with its size and amount of green areas. They say they are happy to have it. During the interviews, we did not perceive any latent conflict.
People have suggested several financially non-demanding and easily implemented changes that will make the playground more attractive. When it came to less demanding interventions, they suggested repairing benches, creating a chalk drawing table at the wall, covering for the sandbox and fitting the wooden pallets around the sandbox in the front part of the playground or stocking the tennis table and growing new trees in the back part of the playground. Among more demanding interventions mentioned, a drinking water fountain, roof above the sandbox and new playground elements would be welcome in the front of the playground and a new surface for the ball games pitch and ice rink during winter months would be appreciated very much.
Most interventions will be realized in spring 2014.
We chose comparative method as our research method. Our aim was to compare the individual needs and preferences of the target group at the playground (its visitors), as well as to identify group preferences based on age and gender of respondents, and if relevant, the number and age of their children. In order to gain the data we needed, we chose individual semi-structured interviews with the playground visitors - mothers, fathers, children, seniors, groups of nursery pupils and elementary school pupils from nearby nursery and elementary school at the Česká street.
We asked them questions from a unified questionnaire, but also gave them space for their own suggestions and recommendations.
In general, the playground is perceived in a positive light. The visitors are overall content, especially with its size and amount of green areas. They say they are happy to have it. During the interviews, we did not perceive any latent conflict.
People have suggested several financially non-demanding and easily implemented changes that will make the playground more attractive. When it came to less demanding interventions, they suggested repairing benches, creating a chalk drawing table at the wall, covering for the sandbox and fitting the wooden pallets around the sandbox in the front part of the playground or stocking the tennis table and growing new trees in the back part of the playground. Among more demanding interventions mentioned, a drinking water fountain, roof above the sandbox and new playground elements would be welcome in the front of the playground and a new surface for the ball games pitch and ice rink during winter months would be appreciated very much.
Most interventions will be realized in spring 2014.