City council to consider £216k play park plans

CHILDREN living in two Dundee communities could soon be having fun on hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of new play equipment.

Proposals have just been revealed for work on play areas in Menzieshill and Charleston.

City councillors will be asked at next week’s neighbourhood services committee to approve spending of almost £216,000 on new adventure toys, including swings, seesaws and trampolines.

It is part of an overall strategy of the local authority that plans to spend more than £600,000 to improve playgrounds across Dundee, including Camperdown and Mill o’ Mains.

The council said the move comes after extensive consultations with families in Menzieshill and Charleston, where it was cited that there was a need for newer play equipment in these areas.

Neighbourhood services convener Kevin Cordell said the latest proposals highlighted the council’s commitment to provide more play areas in the city.

Mr Cordell said: “It is really important we listen to what the communities want in their area and work to deliver it for them.

“Outdoor play areas have many valuable benefits — i ncluding improving children’s health and wellbeing, their social skills and relationships — and importantly, they allow children to learn and have fun.

“This latest proposed set of work highlights our commitment to provide more play areas for children across the city.

“Over the course of this year, we are looking to commit to spending more than £600,000 to improve playgrounds in areas including Camperdown, Mill o’ Mains and Menzieshill.”

If approved by the committee, the new play area — which has been set for l and at Balgarthno Road/ Charleston Street — will include a toddler zone, toddler swings and basket swing, trampoline, seesaw, springer, rope climber and adventure bridge.

In addition, a new path linking the playground directly to Balgarthno Road will be installed.

Meanwhile, Mr Cordell said improvements to play areas in Menzieshill will i nclude the development of adventure log trails, which will go through Earn Crescent, Spey Drive and Orrin Place.

These will be based on safe walking routes to the new Tayview Primary School.

The proposals also involve an upgrade to the existing play areas at Dochart Terrace, which will include a climbing tower, springers, seesaw and swings, as well as a large log and rope climbing structure.

The neighbourhood services committee will consider the play park proposals on Monday i n Dundee.

Kevin Cordell, the council’s neighbourhood services convener.