Waltham Forest Council, with no meaningful design or engagement, are planning to level the waves and install a sea of rubber safety surfacing with ‘modernised’ (read unimaginative) play equipment. 

In seeing this as a play area re-provision the Council are missing the value of Drapers, in that the grass waves are a playground in themselves for adults and children alike. The play equipment can add to this (and it could be improved) but this needs to be thoughtfully designed alongside the community.

In short we welcome change but not like this. We call on the Council to:  

• Keep our park green, with no sea of high maintenance rubber surfacing.
• Naturalise not modernise, with wider ecological improvements to replace the previous wildflower planting which has been removed.
• Use what we have, fixing the water play and trampolines which have never been maintained.
• Upgrade the play, but involve the community in what this is, water play, natural play or play equipment. 
• A genuine community co-design process led by a suitably qualified landscape architect / public realm architect who can integrate improvements sensitively into the existing park, keeping the distinctive landform.