Castle themed playground opens in Mead
A NEW castle themed play area in Argents Mead has opened to the public.
The children’s play space is located near the bandstand and features a motte and bailey theme with a timber castle structure, wooden houses, a forest watch tower, sheep and ram rockers and a catapult basket swing.
Youngsters have been getting to grips with the exciting new equipment during the recent sunny weather.
But the official opening is on August 1 - the first day of the week-long Snap Dragon Children and Families Festival.
Grandmother Pam Langham, from Burbage, said: “I think it’s absolutely wonderful, it’s sheltered with all of the trees so the children are protected from the sun.
“It is brilliantly designed and looks very modern.”
Her four-year-old grandson Jenson said: “It is fabulous, I never want to leave.
“I think it is my favourite park in the world. Can we come back here every day, grandma?”
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council’s design brief was to create a motte and bailey theme to reflect the history of the site using natural materials which complement the new leisure centre and existing landscape.
The design was created by Burbage-based landscape architect Ian Stemp.
Residents gave the thumbs-up to the proposals through a public consultation in October last year.
Anthony Reader, from Thornycroft Road, Hinckley, said: “It’s fantastic, it is built really well.
“We’re absolutely coming here again.”
Partner Allana Chatterton added: “One of the best parts is the soft surface, it’s very springy.”
Their children David and William both said the park is “excellent”.
Councillor Mark Nickerson, the borough council’s executive member for neighbourhood services, said: “The new play area will offer children an exciting new outdoor play space and will add to the number of other regeneration projects taking place within Hinckley.
“It will complement the facilities offered within the new leisure centre and help to ensure Argents Mead remains the heart of the town centre.”
The play space was expected to open at the same time as Hinckley’s new £15 million leisure centre in the spring, which is just a stone’s throw away.
But it was delayed so the works did not impact on the complex.
Earlier plans had located it to the side of the leisure centre, but it was later moved to maximise the clear, grassed area being formed for school use, councillors said.