Major cash boost for play parks

7:51pm Saturday 17th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

CHILDREN'S play has received a huge boost after a £500,000 grant was awarded to improve parks and playgrounds on Teesside.

Stockton Borough Council is jumping for joy after receiving £488,188 from the Big Lottery Fund to develop play areas around the town.

The cash is to be used in three specific areas, helping to provide a new park in Ingleby Barwick, improving Village Park in Thornaby, and funding a new mobile play facility.

The people of Ingleby Barwick have campaigned for a children's play area for years, claiming there were no facilities on the ever-growing estate for youngsters.

However, 400 children from the estate have already been working with the council and voluntary organisations to help design the park, which is going to be built to a Roman theme and will include two play areas, a skate and BMX area, and elevated landscape.

Councillor Ken Dixon, a member of Ingleby Barwick Independent Society, which has lobbied for a community park, said he was excited about the prospects of the park.

"We have been campaigning since 2005 for a park," he said.

"When we went around canvassing, activities for kids came up all the time, so we know it is going to be very well used.

"The kids have designed it themselves. They didn't want mundane stuff, they wanted adventurous things, so I'm sure it's going to be great. We just want to see it started now."

In Thornaby, the cash will be used to provide a 300-metre play path in Village Park to provide facilities for many different games, including hopscotch and number games. There will also be traditional style seats for children and carers.

And the lottery grant will also enable the council to convert a vehicle into a mobile playground, named the Imagination Explorer, which will tour the borough, providing both inside and outside play equipment and activities.

Children will be able to attend it to take part in a wide range of imaginative activities, including drawing, painting, poetry and storytelling, as well as indoor and outdoor team games.

The bus will also be used to provide play facilities to children in the borough who do not have access to regular mainstream play provision, or who have specific needs, such as disabilities, young carers and children of lone parents.

Councillor Mary Womphrey, the council's cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture, said: "Play really does matter in the borough and this award is great news for thousands of children.

"The new park at Ingleby Barwick will be the first in this rapidly developing area of around 20,000 people, while the Imagination Explorer mobile play facility will benefit families in many other communities, including smaller villages."