Blacon Adventure Playground and City Farm

Blacon Adventure Playground is a fully-staffed open access play facility managed directly by the Council.  The large enclosed site includes adventure play structures, a city farm, environmental play areas and a large indoor playbarn.  It is located in Chester's largest social housing estate area.

Established over 30 years ago years ago, the Playground is operated as a facility where children from the ages of 8 to 16 can experience free play and  some organised activities, free of charge, in a safe and secure environment.  It is open every day of the year (including Christmas Day), from 3.00 pm to 8.00 pm (7.00 pm in the winter) during term-time and 10.00 am to 8.00 pm (7.00 pm winter) during school holidays.

The permanent staff consists of a Senior Playleader, three Full-time Assistant Playleaders, three Part-time Assistant Playleaders and a Part-time Administrative Officer.  Additional Part-time Seasonal Playworkers are employed during the summer.  Between them they offer a wide range of skills and specialisms in play work, child care, sports, arts, crafts, music, drama, environmental science and animal husbandry, among others.

The facility is available for all children resident in Chester District.  However,  it has achieved national recognition as an excellent facility for children's play and consequently receives visits from many children who live outside the District, and even outside Cheshire.  Attendances are in the region of 80,000-100,000 each year and, on a busy day in the summer, as many as 800 children have used the facility.

The Adventure Play structures (swings, towers, etc) have been constructed taking fully into account the expressed wishes and ideas of the children using the Playground.  Modifications are made to them from time to time, in response to children's suggestions.

Blacon Adventure Playground 
Paul Noon  01244 371129 
Blacon Adventure Playground  (external link)

The City Farm Environmental Play Area

City Farm

The City Farm, which has an ever-changing variety of stock, houses animals such as donkeys, sheep, goats, chickens and ducks, with occasional more unusual inhabitants such as barn owls and pheasants.  It is entirely self-financing (its free-range eggs are much sought after!) and children using the Playground are fully involved in the every-day care and welfare of the stock.  The Playground is a member of the Federation of City Farms.

Environmental Play Area

The Environmental Play Area has been developed to foster interest in the wide variety of wildlife to be found in the area, including around many different species of birds and butterflies.  It also provides an area where children can indulge in imaginative play, build dens and create their own trails.

The Playbarn is a joint use facility, in the form of a large industrial type building.  During the day it provides a covered play facility for the Playground.  In the evenings it is available as a Youth Activity Centre for organised groups of young people.

For further information please contact:

Paul Noon (Senior Playleader) or Eileen Irwin (Administrative Officer
Blacon Adventure Playground,
Kipling Road,
Blacon,
Chester
CH1 5UU

Tel: 01244 371129

Mobile: 07778-473006