Park playground to get £75,000 makeover | Latest news

 

The popular playground in Mewsbrook Park is set to be completely revamped in time for next summer. 

The £75,000 refurbishment will be funded by £50,000 from Arun District Council, along with a £25,000 grant from The Veolia Environmental Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund, after a successful bid by Arun’s Parks team.

A survey of park users, undertaken by the Council’s Parks Service with help from Mewsbrook Park Community Support Group [MPCSG], helped to shape the bid to The Veolia Environmental Trust, an environmental body that awards grants to support the natural, social and built environment.

The project is part of a commitment by Arun District Council, identified in its Play Strategy, to prioritise its resources to ensure that the most popular play areas can be enjoyed for many years to come.

New equipment will include a pendulum tyre swing with reclaimed tyres, a bobbin boat rocker, a giant ‘forest’ climbing frame and slide and a train carriage/station play house. It will be suitable for children up to the age of 14.

Councillor Terence Chapman, Arun District Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: “The Council is committed to providing the best play spaces it can where high usage can be assured and then listening to what residents want – this is very much a community project.

“We were delighted our bid to The Veolia Environmental Trust was successful and this grant funding, added to the majority of the funding allocated by Arun District Council, will see the outdated playground transformed with vibrant new play equipment which will provide hours of healthy fun for youngsters.”

The Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor, added: “Playgrounds are a vital part of community life. They provide children and young people with an outdoor place where they can meet up, have fun, exercise and make new friends, all for free. I look forward to seeing the improvements to this one take shape.”

As part of the scheme, the Council will be providing additional tree planting and other planting, with help from the MPCSG and other volunteers.

Posters with more information will be put up at the café in Mewsbrook Park and on the Arun Parks and Greenspaces Facebook page in the coming weeks, or you can call 01903 737956 or email parks@arun.gov.uk for more details.

The playground is expected to open in spring 2016.