The final phase of Rowntree Park’s new area co-created with teenage girls has now been completed, marking the culmination of five years of listening to local young people and working together to make the park more welcoming for teenagers.
The project began here in Rowntree Park in 2021, when the Friends of Rowntree Park and the newly formed Make Space York project started asking a simple question: Why do so many teenage girls disappear from parks?
Since then, hundreds of girls have shared their experiences and ideas, helping shape not just a new space, but a wider approach to creating parks that feel welcoming, inclusive and enjoyable for older children and teenagers.
A community project
The Make Space Area, also now known as the ‘Teen Zone’ has only been possible thanks to a combination of grant funding and community fundraising secured by both Friends of Rowntree Park and Make Space York.
The first phase was installed in May 2024 and included a basket swing, climbing log stack, accessible picnic table, natural seating and wildflower planting.
Now, with the completion of the second phase, the area includes communal hammocks, additional climbing and balancing logs, roll bars, seating and interpretation, creating a space specifically designed around how teenagers told us they would like to use the park.
Why create a Teen Zone?
Most parks provide excellent facilities for younger children, while teenagers are often left with sports facilities such as skate parks, basketball courts, bike tracks and Multi Use Play Areas (MUGAs). Rowntree Park is no different – it already has a popular skate park and basketball court, both of which are well used and valued by many young people. We know there are girls who use these facilities too, and we want to continue encouraging everyone who enjoys skating, basketball and other sports.
However, observations over the years carried out in Rowntree Park found that around 90% of users of these facilities were boys and young men, echoing national research.
When we spoke to teenage girls, many told us they had stopped using these spaces as they got older. Some weren’t interested in those activities, while others said they didn’t feel comfortable or welcome because the areas felt dominated by boys. Many described feeling watched, judged or unsafe.
Importantly, we also spoke to boys. While many valued the existing sports facilities, lots of them described wanting places simply to spend time with friends, climb, chat, relax and hang out.
The Teen Zone isn’t about replacing sports provision. It’s about recognising that parks should offer a wider range of opportunities for teenagers and asking, “What else could there be?”
More than just equipment
The location of the Teen Zone was just as important as the equipment itself. Situated close to the table tennis area, the space sits slightly back from the main paths, giving teenagers somewhere that feels like their own. At the same time, it remains clearly visible from surrounding paths, the play areas and other parts of the park, meaning young people can see others around them and attract attention if they need help.
This balance between independence and visibility came directly from the young people involved in the project.
The features themselves reflect what teenagers consistently asked for:
- communal swings and hammocks to use together
- climbing logs and balancing features
- roll bars for hanging and informal movement
- generous seating where groups can meet and socialise
While the space has been inspired by the experiences of teenage girls, it is not a space just for girls. It is intended for all teenagers and older children, creating somewhere they can feel welcome and prioritised within the park.
Looking beyond the Teen Zone
The Teen Zone is only one part of wider improvements taking place across Rowntree Park. Through the Make Space York project we’ve also looked at the park as a whole, recognising that creating welcoming parks is about much more than installing equipment.
Work has included reviewing sightlines, managing hedges to improve visibility, improving signage, encouraging regular activity and volunteering within the park and running a wide range of community events. Together these help create the “eyes on the park” that are recognised as an important principle in creating safer public spaces.
The project is also delivering improvements to the skate park, including opening up the enclosed space by removing sections of fencing and adding new seating nearby. These changes were informed by feedback from teenage girls, families and skaters themselves and aim to make the area feel more welcoming while improving opportunities for people to watch, meet and spend time there.
Alongside these physical improvements, Make Space York has run the free Make Space Festival every June since 2023, bringing hundreds of young people into the park through sport, creative activities, nature, dance, wellbeing and performance sessions. Activities continue throughout the year, helping ensure the park remains active, welcoming and well used.
Alongside these physical improvements, Make Space York has run the free Make Space Festival every June since 2023, bringing hundreds of young people into the park through sport, creative activities, nature, dance, wellbeing and performance sessions. Activities continue throughout the year, helping ensure the park remains active, welcoming and well used.
Sharing what we’ve learned
What started in Rowntree Park is now influencing parks far beyond York.
The project has been recognised with a Green Flag Award for increasing park use by women and girls and has been shared nationally and internationally with councils, landscape architects and community organisations.
Rowntree Park is also featured as a case study in the Safer Parks: Improving Access for Women and Girls programme, led by the University of Leeds in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy, Green Flag Award and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Later this year, the programme will launch a new Park Safety Dashboard, with Rowntree Park again highlighted as an example of good practice.
For the Friends of Rowntree Park, this is something to be incredibly proud of. A local community project, built through partnership, listening and determination, is now helping shape thinking about parks across the UK.
Most importantly, though, it’s helping ensure that more local young people feel that Rowntree Park is a place where they belong.
More info on the Make Space York project and a report summarising the project can be found here.
Also a Guide for Creating Parks for Teenage Girls can also be accessed by clicking the image below. This is based on the Make Space York project and provides guidance, examples and ideas for councils, councillors, landscape architects, developers, planners and community organisations. Access here.
