Forum topic: Boys and girls come out to play!

Karl seems to possess an incredible amount of faith that people in power will do the right thing and that others holding themselves out to be experts are in fact expert at prediction or coming to the right conclusion in other ways.

History is full to bursting point of evidence that neither is the case. You don't have to look far, either in time or distance. Enfield Council has been very enthusiastic about making traffic orders on mini-Holland and there is anything but a clear majority for that. Experts have been make the wrong predictions since time immemorial. But, 2016 has been particularly spectacular, when it comes to experts getting it wrong.

I would love to find time if, if other activists could cope with my admittedly contrarian approach, to participate in London Play's more sensible ideas and initiatives locally and indeed would have gone to at least one of the Baskervilles meetings but was committed to other things at those times. But, many of the ideas seem a bit too leftfield and these need to be challenged. It is very easy to go along with something because it sounds laudable, but proper scrutiny can unveil all manner of problems.

A good idea may be the result of identifying a problem that either doesn't exist or is less significant than it is perceived to be. The proposed solution may not be practical and by its implementation, could create new problems.

Or at its limit of disastrousness, an idea implemented can result in a marginal benefit for a few at a greater cost to the many.

Marie, aren't walking buses and play streets before and after school, events? These were very much part of the Palmers Green Play quarter idea - I am not confused by anything. Have these been ditched?

Picking up the thread, yes, the future is a known unknown. Two typical approaches when moving forward into such an environment: the big strategy assessment, typically resource intensive with 2-6 months of detailed work, crucial for large investments and certainly fixed plant; the other, often used in new media markets is beta launch with learning in real time. There is a grey spectrum between. Having developed, led, approved or otherwise been responsible for both types at a UK (sometimes global) significance level I can say there are ways and means of minimising risk.
Play Quarters is a beta and as with any pilot some assumptions will work, others (possibly locality by locality) may prove unfounded, while I would fully expect some unexpected bonuses to emerge.
I have confidence in the London Play team and our own community; both have powerful and very successful track records in change development. Assume I have led some extremely large team’s in extremely complex situations and manged risk at a level where this wouldn’t even register on the scale. It’s not one to lose sleep about the downside, instead, try and see some brightness, it does have real potential for London and its kids' futures.

Management speak goes over most people’s heads. We want to hear substance.

Are the people involved in this scheme are still planning on having another go at walking buses, that did not succeed previously and are they willing to ditch the idea of closing roads such as Hazelwood Lane in the morning and afternoon, something which is simply not practical.

What else came out of the meetings in Baskervilles other than the ideas initially proposed? Perhaps someone who was there could share.

Recommend simply meeting with London Play, as they have already offered directly and personally to you, rather than repeatedly asking the same, often already answered questions, to this general readership.

And a Merry Christmas to all our readers