The Phoenix Estate is twenty years old this year – and so is the ball-court. As well as being a bit structurally worn and in need of renovation, some residents have suggested that the space could be changed to make better use of it so that a greater variety of activities can take place, and so that it can be made more accessible for a wider range of the community.
The Hanover & Elm Grove Community Forum has been awarded some funding from the council to look at some projects around restorative practice – community centred ways of tackling conflict and antisocial behaviour – and money from this has been made available for work in the Phoenix area to support young people to become involved in positive activities. Some of this money will be used to help decide if the ball court area should change and if so how, and to involve young people and their families in being a part of these decisions.
To help get an idea of what people think could happen, we have prepared a short survey. This is being posted through all the doors on the estate, and community volunteers will be knocking on doors to talk to residents about it.
An online version of this survey will also be placed on the Communities Forum website, and display boards will be placed on the ball court itself with other ways of giving your views, aimed at those people who make use of the area at the moment or who would like to if it was improved.