Healthy Waterford and Waterford Sports Partnership along with other key stakeholders including Waterford City and County Council, Ready Steady Play, Sláintecare Healthy Communities, Waterford Libraries, Waterford PPN, Community Safety Partnership and CYPSC are delighted to launch the roll out of the Playful Streets Initiative for 2024.
Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Joe Conway officially launched the initiative on Thursday 1st February in Bromley Walk. – ‘’These are an exceptional initiative to foster stronger connections with residents and demonstrate the significance of play and social interaction in communities. Playful Streets were a great success in 2023 and I hope even more communities get the opportunity to be involved this year’’.
Building on the initiative from last year, several Playful Street events will be rolled out within Waterford City and County between the months of May to September 2024. The Playful Streets Initiative encourages children to play outside, making exercise fun and easy, while at the same time building stronger communities. It is a low cost and easy way to create play spaces within housing estates and green spaces.
Jessica Griffin from Waterford City and County Libraries is delighted to be supporting the initiative. – ‘I fully believe in the power of free play for children’s learning and their literacy development.’ We are hoping to pilot a play bag loan scheme within Waterford Libraries in 2024.
Jade Kinsella Browne from Ready Steady Play has come on board this year to roll out each Playful Street event, with all of Jade’s expertise in the area of children’s development and play, these events are sure to be lots of fun for the whole family.
Resident’s associations and community groups can now fill out an expression of interest form to run a Playful Streets event in their own area.
For more information on the Playful Streets initiative please contact Eoin Morrissey – eoinmorrissey@waterfordcouncil.ie or Lauren Walsh Kett lwalshkett@waterfordsportspartnership.ie
Eoin Morrissey(Waterford Healthy City & County Coordinator) Eddie Mulligan(Community Safety Partnership) JJ Taylor (WCCC) Muriel Tobin (Waterford PPN) Éabha, Aaria and Jade Kinsella-Browne (Ready Steady Play) Margaret Collins (CYSPC) Ovi Matuit (Community Officer WCCC) Jessie Griffin (Waterford Libraries) Lauren Walsh Kett (Active Cities Officer, WSP) Mayor of Waterford City & County, Cllr.Joe Conway.