Investment in play areas
Play areas in Test Valley Borough will be getting upgrades and exciting new equipment thanks to a £420,000 investment from Test Valley Borough Council.
Community and Leisure Portfolio Holder, Councillor Tony Ward said: “ It is really important that the children and young people in our Borough not only have somewhere safe to play and enjoy but that they also benefit from equipment that is exciting and fun to use. The improvements taking place are as a result of consultation with local people and I am delighted that we are investing a significant amount of money into these schemes across the Borough.”
Violet Close in Valley Park will get a full refurbishment of the play area to include equipment, surfacing and fencing. The proposed equipment includes two multi play climbing units with slides, swings, roundabout, play panels, springers and seesaw. Aimed at infant and junior ages the new play area will offer a progression in risk and excitement.
Lavington Gardens Teen Zone in North Baddesley will see design improvements in the existing facilities for teenagers, to make them more challenging and exciting as well as new equipment that will have a safety surfacing beneath.
The public are currently being consulted on the final designs for both schemes which can be viewed at http://www.testvalley.gov.uk/communityandleisure/play-area-refurbishments-2016
Next month will see work begin at Memorial Park, Romsey on an exciting climbing frame. It is only the second place in the UK to have one - the other is in the National Memorial Arboretum.
It will be complimented by the installation of a seating and traverse climbing wall and this is expected to be completed by mid-August. The design can be viewed at http://www.testvalley.gov.uk/communityandleisure/play-area-refurbishments-2016
The Anna Fields development in Andover will also see improvements to four smaller play areas in Stone Close, Celtic Drive, Barnfield Rise and Kingston Close taking the form of updates to equipment, surfacing and signage and public design consultations are scheduled to take place towards the end of June 2017.
Upgrades are planned at a number of other playground sites as part of the Council’s commitment to their overall Management Plan.
In addition, there are other play area installations, at Picket Twenty, scheduled this year which have been funded from developer contributions.