Council plans to overhaul play areas

A YORKSHIRE council has unveiled plans to spend £6.4m on improving its playgrounds and outdoor fitness facilities as part of a multi-million pound drive to improve health.

Bradford Council’s scheme is part of a £20m strategy to boost the district’s health, and will be discussed by senior councillors on January 7. Bradford’s Lister Park will be the first site to benefit, with a £650,000 refit of its playground facilities.

Officials say the park remains one of the most popular play destinations, but its equipment is reaching the end of its lifespan.

A new play area will include traditional play equipment as well as other opportunities to “encourage more innovative, dynamic and active play with natural play elements”. The council’s Playable Spaces Strategy, due to be completed by the end of next year, will lead to investment in other areas.

The council manages and maintains 299 play facilities across 165 sites, made up of 150 traditional fixed play spaces as well as multi-use games areas, wheeled sports, ball sports and outdoor fitness facilities.

Coun Sarah Ferriby, the council’s portfolio holder for healthy people and places, said: “We really need to invest in our children to ensure they have the play spaces they deserve in order to grow and develop and the play spaces families need for the 21st century, including great destination parks for all and exciting local facilities for communities throughout the district.

“This means looking how communities can use smaller patches of land in innovative ways to encourage play.”