New lease of life for popular play park
£50K BOOST WILL SEE REVAMP SWING INTO ACTION
Reporter A DRIVE to upgrade a city play park has been given a £50,000 helping hand.
Newcastle City Council and the Friends of Heaton Park Playground Project have received the funding boost from SUEZ Communities Trust, formerly SITA Trust.
Parents whose children use Heaton Park play area first raised the renovation needs with local councillors.
This resulted in a campaign to update the play park design and introduce new equipment.
Where possible the new design will recycle and refurbish existing play equipment, surfaces and fencing. It will also look to install new equipment and increase participation in the wider activities available in the play park.
The new funding will form part of a wider £108,000 refurbishment programme for Heaton Play Park that is being made possible by Section 106 contributions, Newcastle City Council ward funding and an accessibility scheme grant.
The council is able to contribute using Section 106 money as a direct result of local development in the area.
The refurbishment to Heaton Play Park will include a new roundabout, a low-level natural gym, trampoline, refurbished swings, picnic area, a new grassed area and self-closing gates.
The Friends of Heaton Park Playground Project also involved local schools to see what they would like to see in the park.
Lynne Patience, mother to Spike, aged four, and Flora, aged three, and one of the co-founders of the Friends of Heaton Park Playground Project, said: “This is a heavily used park and is an important part of the local community.
“The parents and children love the space and are always keen to get involved. Over the past couple of years there has been a number of conversations about the state of the park, and we’ve been delighted with the different ways that people have shown their support.
“This has been a real community effort.”
Marianne Ivin, of SUEZ Communities Trust, said: “This project is great demonstration of how a community can come together and work with the local council to make facilities in their area better. We are delighted to be able to help fund the play area.”
Coun Kim McGuinness, cabinet member for culture and communities at Newcastle City Council, said the investment “will create an outstanding play area”.
The Friends of Heaton Park Playground Project have set up a JustGiving page to raise the final part of the funds needed to complete the refurbishment. Go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/heaton-park-playarea-project
For more on how to apply for funding from SUEZ Communities Trust call 01454 262910 or log on to www.suezcommunitiestrust.org. uk