The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Play back on the agenda at Victorian park
WORK has begun to finally bring the dilapidated children’s play areas in Newcastle’s oldest park back into use, after more than £20,000 was raised for the repairs.
Play equipment in Leazes Park has been out of service for years after being deemed unsafe for children.
But families visiting the Victorian park, which opened 150 years ago, will soon be able to enjoy its play spaces once again, following a successful fundraising drive.
Organisers of the Northern Lights Christmas event which ran in Leazes Park last year pledged to help breathe new life into the cordonedoff attractions, promising to match every pound donated by the public when buying tickets for the light trail up to £10,000.
Parks bosses at charity
Urban
Green Newcastle confirmed on Wednesday that a total of £21,000 has been raised for the project.
That includes a £1,000 donation from the organisers of the Naughty 90s music festival and £10,000 from Lost Minds festival’s Alex Laddin.
Urban Green chief executive Carol Pyrah said: “This successful fundraising campaign for Leazes Park means we can repair and reopen some of the popular, larger pieces of play equipment; and carry out further works across the play area in time for the summer.
“Unfortunately, outdoor play equipment does wear out over time, and it’s also often a target for antisocial behaviour.”
She added: “Looking after the play areas in Newcastle’s parks does cost a lot of money, but with the support of partners like Northern Lights Newcastle and local communities, we’re continuing to improve facilities for park users. On behalf of Urban Green Newcastle I’d like to thank Northern Lights Newcastle, Alex Laddin, Naughty 90’s Festival, and every single generous member of the public that donated to the campaign.
“Because of you, we can carry out this important work to the playground in Leazes Park to mark its 150th year.”
A grandmother visiting Leazes Park with her family last summer told The Chronicle how the sight of its slide, climbing frame, and other attractions being off limits to children had left her “absolutely ashamed” and “embarrassed”.
Urban Green, which said the equipment had been out of use since it was handed control of Newcastle’s parks by the city council in 2019, announced on Wednesday that it has now begun some of the refurbishment work and has ordered parts and labour to restore the apparatus – including a toddler swing and an aeroskate. It is hoped that the upgrades can be completed by the end of April.
Roxy Robinson, event director of Northern Lights Newcastle, said she was “absolutely thrilled”.
This ... means we can repair and reopen some of the popular, larger pieces of play equipment