Registrations close Wednesday 11th October. Parks & Leisure Australia (WA) and Planning Institute Australia (WA) are pleased to announce a series of talks and workshops with renowned international expert and author Dr Tim Gill on child friendly urban design, playspace design and risk in play. Places are limited and we encourage you to book early. This event has been made possible by the generous support of sponsor Art + Play and venue partner City of South Perth. Child-Friendly Urban Design for Better Communities and Cities with Dr Tim Gill. What does a truly child-friendly city look like? How does children’s play fit into the picture? And their mobility? And why should we even worry about looking at cities through the eyes of children? Dr Tim Gill’s talk will set out the key ingredients of a child-friendly neighbourhood, and the reasons why decision-makers around the world are taking up the idea. Drawing on over 20 years of research and advocacy, including study visits to cities in Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America, Tim will show how a ‘children’s lens’ can transform cities into inclusive, equitable, liveable, sustainable places that are fit for the post-pandemic challenges of the 21st century. This 60-minute address by Dr Tim Gill will be followed by a 45-60 minute Industry Panel for Q & A which will include: |
Meet the speakers:
MC Len Kosova
Mr Kosova has more than 25 years local government experience across metropolitan and regional WA. His roles included the chief executive officer at the City of Vincent and Planning Director at the City of Wanneroo, City of Gosnells and Shire of Mundaring. Since January 2019, Mr Kosova has been a Member of the Western Australian Planning Commission’s Statutory Planning Committee; and Executive, Finance and Property Committee. In August 2019, he was appointed by the State Government to serve as a Commissioner at the City of Perth, a role he held until the new Council was elected in October 2020.  Mr Kosova is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and the Planning Institute of Australia and holds a degree in Urban and Regional Planning.  In August 2023, Mr Len Kosova, has been appointed to the DevelopmentWA Board.
 | Dr Tim GillTim was Director of the Children’s Play Council (now Play England) from 1997 to 2004. In 2002 he was seconded to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to lead the first ever Government-sponsored review of children’s play. The review was chaired by Frank Dobson and shaped the Big Lottery Fund’s subsequent £155 million Children’s Play Initiative funding programme.  His book Urban Playground: How child-friendly planning and design can save cities was published by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2021. It was RIBA’s bestselling publication that year. Tim is co-author of the first London-wide planning guidance on children’s play and recreation (published in 2008 under former Mayor Ken Livingstone); the revised edition is helping to shape neighbourhoods for London’s children. As well as playgrounds, his interest in the built environment embraces streets, neighbourhood planning, transport and public space, and children’s evolving relationship with nature. He explored this last topic in a 2011 report for former Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s Sustainable Development Commission entitled Sowing the Seeds: Reconnecting London’s children with nature. He is co-author of the UK government-funded publication Managing Risk in Play Provision: Implementation Guide. and the publication Risk Benefit Assessment for Outdoor Play: A Canadian Toolkit. |
 | Matt HuxtableDirector – Art + Play As practice principal, registered Landscape Architect and founding Director of Art+Play, Matt has extensive experience in the management and delivery of projects in all aspects of landscape architectural design and construction. Through Matt’s extensive experience in the design, manufacture and delivery of bespoke playgrounds he saw an opportunity for locally designed and manufactured play equipment. Alongside the creative potential of the arts community, Art+Play was born |
 | Andrew ReedyRegional Councillor, PLAWA; Director, Playcheck Since 2002 Andrew has represented the Australian Industry Group on the Standards Australia committee for playground equipment (CS-005). He has been involved in the development all versions of AS 4685, as well as AS 4422:2016 (dealing with playground safety surfacing). In 2021 he was appointed chair of this Standards Australia committee. He is also a member of the Standards Australia committee for Sports and Recreational Equipment (CS-101). Among other things, this committee deals with Standards for outdoor exercise equipment, parkour equipment and skate parks. Andrew currently represents Standards Australia on two ISO (International Standards Organisation) technical committees (TC 83 / WG6 and WG8) as an expert. These committees have worked on the development of ISO Standards detailing competencies for inspectors of playgrounds and recreational equipment; and the process of managing benefit-risk assessments. |
 | Anita AmprimoDirector Infrastructure Services, City of South Perth Anita is currently the Director of Infrastructure Services and the City of South Perth having worked in the delivery and management of infrastructure for 30 years. Anita has a background in civil engineering and has worked on a wide variety of projects in transportation, flood and catchment management, defence, waste, drainage and utilities. Her academic background is also varied having served an accredited apprenticeship in Civil Engineering, completed a BA(Hons) in Economics with Wastes Management and the Environment and Law Masters specialising in Construction Law and Arbitration. Anita has a passion for integrating a multidisciplined approach for long term community and social positive outcomes. |
 | Assoc. Professor Hayley ChristianSenior Research Fellow, Telethon Kids Institute, BEACHES Project Associate Professor Hayley Christian is a National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellow. She is Head of the ‘Healthy Behaviours and Environments’ Program and Head of the ‘Child Physical Activity, Health and Development’ Team at the Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia. Dr Christian’s PLAYCE Research Program focuses on improving children’s physical activity levels, health and well-being through multi-level interventions focused on the child, family, social, built and natural environment. This includes evidence-informed policy and strategies to create play areas and play opportunities to support young children’s healthy development and wellbeing. |
 | Tom BarrySenior Development Manager, Stockland Tom Barry works as the Senior Development Manager for Stockland with over 10 years working on a variety of projects including sensory playgrounds, an award winning foreshore node, childcare centres and a primary school. Stockland is a leading residential developer in Australia and is focused on delivering a range of masterplanned communities and medium density housing in growth areas across the country. |
Topics to be covered include:
• What does a child-friendly neighbourhood look like?
• Research that supports building child-friendly neighbourhood – health, economic, and social benefits
• Planning sustainable neighbourhoods
• Intergenerational spaces and the traditional philosophy of separating playspaces by age group
• Spaces for girls & genders
• Multifunctional spaces
• Teenage friendly designs/parks – we design for 5- to 12-year-olds – what are the trends/designs for older and younger age groups
• Technology and play
• Nature verses natural elements in play
• Shelf verses bespoke play equipment – achievement of play ability requirement
• Fencing verses parenting
• Informal play – both on the way and outside of areas we “designate”.
• How can we plan for high density areas where we have reduced POS.
• Risk in play – from standards to acceptable risk: car, culture, fear.
• Risk for local governments and playground providers.
• What do kids want?
• What do parents want?
• Insurance for the industry and the impact on LGAs
• Case studies
Places are limited and we encourage you to book early.
This workshop has been made possible by the generous support of Art + Play and venue partner City of South Perth:
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For further information please contact leith@parksleisure.com.au
Parks & Leisure Australia (WA) Regional Sponsors
       
     
The State government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries is a major supporter of Parks and Leisure Australia in Western Australia. Sport and recreation builds stronger, healthier, happier and safer communities.
Parks and Leisure Australia WA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.