Our Desk | Space to play

Renato Marques

Recently opened without fanfare, the refurbished playground of Taipa’s Central Park is (as far as I know) the only contemporary children’s playground existing in the Macau SAR.

No, unlike other occasions, I am not saying this with any sarcasm – it’s true! The playground and the park itself is what we can call an “Oasis in this Desert” of old, broken, unsafe and, above all, unattractive and unpleasant playgrounds existing across the peninsula and the islands.

In fact, that this park is so different to all the others leads me to wonder what light it was that “illuminated the minds” of its creators and planners?

I have been there a couple of times now and I must say it’s a twofold joy to experience – a joy for the hundreds of kids playing there as well as for the adults who enjoy seeing them play, explore, and get sweaty.

For all those reading this and imagining what in the world this park has that makes it so “out of this world” I would say nothing really, but, at the same time, everything. It has, for example, three-story towers that need to be climbed by a spiral staircase (sorry, no lifts yet). Children have several means of sliding down from different levels, depending on their bravery or mood.

It has also a mini-climbing wall (at the very beginner’s level) which, despite not rising over 2 meters from the ground, is enough to allow children to try some “cat” moves and test their capacities and skills.

In addition, it has swings (doesn’t sound like a big deal I know) – but these are different swings. They are not the “individual seat” version for which a line of kids must wait for a long time until their turn and is usually is a source of conflict every time someone less patient jumps the line. These are a kind of “UFO style,” in the shape of a big disc of rubbery material in which one, two, three or more kids ride together helped by the others, instead of passively waiting alongside it.

If you have not seen this yet, you must. It’s an absolutely fantastic scene of fun and entertainment in which kids put aside differences in size, gender, skin color and ID cards and just play, like kids!

For those who aren’t lucky enough to be allowed to play in this amazing place, due to fear of their parents or guardians, the popularity of the renewed playground also brings advantages. All the other playgrounds around Taipa have become empty, so you can even choose which (boring) thing you want to play with first.

Putting aside my personal opinion on this, I just want to congratulate – and this does not happen often – the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau for allowing this “miracle” to happen, taking the opportunity to ask also, when are you going to build more of these in other parks of the city?

I guess I know the response to that: It’s too big, not enough space in other places. Well, if we made space for this one, I’m sure we can find a way to make space for others too, am I right?

And since it’s about space that I keep talking about, and now that we have this space open, we just need to give kids time to enjoy this space, if you know what I mean…