iplay exceeds all expectations for city park

The residents of Lincoln have clocked up an amazing 35,000 games on their i.play unit in the city’s popular play area, The Lawn.

Lincoln’s i.play unit, installed in October, 2008, reached the impressive figure as new government research revealed more than one in five children in the UK are starting school overweight, with the figure stretching to almost a third of pupils in Year 6 classes.

i.play fuses traditional physical activity with technology to create a modern approach to play that appeals to all ages. With alarming child obesity statistics rarely out of the headlines, the hi-tech play equipment has proved a welcome addition to the city’s play area, attracting thousands of young people and families on a daily basis.

Antony Angus, Team Leader for Recreation Services at the City of Lincoln Council, was delighted with the results of the first year. He said: “35,000 games, some of which will be multi-player, has far exceeded our expectations. Even more important is the excellent feedback we continue to get from families and young people using the i.play. Many people and families inform us that they purposely go to The Lawn to use the i.play.”

Highlighting the accessibility of the unit, he added: “As well as encouraging physical activity, it’s great fun and accessible for all ages and abilities, including wheelchair users.”

The National Child Measurement Programme, conducted by the NHS Information Centre, found that, while the increase in obesity levels had slowed, the overall levels were still too high.