Towards a Child Friendly City: Abuja Kids Revitalize Public Spaces
Author: Taye Olajide Project Lead: Taye Olajide Community Partners: Kids Skating Series PLAY is a tool to restore city fabrics. In Abuja we involve both the young and old in a public space renewal process that feature skating as a means to build confidence, ownership of public spaces, and of course inspire fun. Open Architecture Nigeria (OAN) initiated an annual event called the Kids Skating Series in 2015 for one day of collective action to engage young children of diverse background and status in Abuja. We called these events outdoor skating cocktails. While the main goal is to drive home the importance of play spaces by putting children literally on center stage it also seeks to advocate for the power of public spaces as a unique tool for effective community…