Northern Midlands Council - Longford Village Green Electronic Playground
The Northern Midlands has a playground worth a visit! First of its kind in Tasmania, Longford Village Green has a state-of-the-art electronic playground combining the joys of outdoor play with the immersion of gaming. The system enables players to interact through computer games, either collaboratively or competitively, whilst requiring them to physically (and often vigorously!) move around on and with the play units.
With a motor racing theme to reflect the heritage of Longford, the Kompan Icon system comprises four play units combining interactive computer games with outdoor fun. The computer games set the tempo and guides the players through a series of outdoor games requiring physical activity, interaction and competition. The system incorporates flashing game nodes that players need to interact with. These make the system visibly appealing, provoke curiosity and attract other players. The flashing nodes also enables the system to be played after dark and make for an eye-catching feature in the town.
A visitor survey of Longford in 2015 revealed the town needed new experiences to attract more visitors, keep visitors for longer and increase the tourism yield for the area. Following extensive community engagement, Northern Midlands Council agreed to replace an ageing traditional playground that was not being well used, with a ‘destination playground’. The aim was to create a playground that would cater for local families and residents as well increase the duration of stay for visitors to Longford.
Currently the only playground of its kind in Tasmania, Longford electronic playground has the unique feature that electronic equipment usage data is collected and collated by the equipment manufacturer Kompan and is available online. Data includes items such as the number of players, usage by day of the week, usage by time of day and estimates of calories burned by players.
Traditionally, playgrounds tend to target young children, leaving out older children/youth. With the addition of the electronic units, the Longford playground caters for children, youth and even adults. In addition to electronic play units, the majority of the playground is suitable for all ages and abilities including persons reliant on wheelchairs for mobility. The entire playground is surfaced by high quality rubber.
Longford’s electronic playground is attracting more visitors to Longford as well as the duration of their visits. It is increasing the community’s sense of connectivity and encouraging many local residents to be more physically active in a fun environment, contributing to improving the health of community members. It is truly a destination playground!