My Place Awards 2023

It’s always a joy to help tell the stories of communities around Scotland who are making a difference to people lives and this years My Place Award film was great to work on.

The winner of the My Place Awards 2023 is Catherine Street Inclusive Park!

A working group led by parents of disabled children formed in 2018 to campaign for an inclusive play space in Dumfries. They were frustrated that their children didn’t have accessible space to play and socialise.

With the dream of redeveloping a run-down local playpark, the working group was constituted as ‘Include Us’ (a SCIO). Following community consultation, the group successfully raised £225,000 from trusts, community fundraising and Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The concept for Catherine Street Inclusive Park is “welcoming, inclusive and naturally playful.” The park has a unique design with physical, social and sensory play in mind. Visitors to the park can play with waterwheels, sand chutes and trampolines. Through partnerships with carer groups, autism and disability groups, mental health services and employability services, the park offers a variety of activities to support community cohesion and skills development.

Since opening in 2020, the park has been a hub of activity, supporting health and wellbeing. Described as a ‘community centre without walls’, the park encourages all age groups and abilities to share a space and spend recreation time side-by-side.

Learn more about the My Place Awards at myplacescotland.org.uk.