Children get better play facilities thanks to community partnerships
Play areas across Telford and Wrekin have been renovated, upgraded or installed to the joy of the borough’s children and parents, thanks to local Town and Parish Councils and ward member support for an enhancement programme led by Telford & Wrekin Council.
Upgraded sites include Spring Village play area, where 5-a-side goals, swings and a slide play-unit were installed, thanks to joint funding from Telford & Wrekin Council and Dawley Hamlets Parish Council, who also co-funded improvements at nearby Pageant Drive play area. Further contributions from ward members Cllr Jayne Greenaway and Mayor of the Borough of Telford and Wrekin, Cllr Raj Mehta’s “Councillors’ Pride Fund” – a funding source allocated by the council to ward members to support local projects – also supported the Spring Village improvements.
In total, Telford & Wrekin Council has earmarked more than 50 play areas across the borough for improvements, with work completed at a number of sites including Dawley Park play area funded in partnership with Great Dawley Town Council. Also completed and partnership-funded are Donnington Rec and Wellington’s Crescent Road play areas, supported by the Councillors Pride Fund allocations of Cllr Jim Lavery and Cllr John Thompson respectively.
Telford Town Park’s exciting new junior play area is due to be unveiled soon. Work is also nearing completion at play sites in Sutton Hill funded in partnership with Madeley Parish Council and at First Avenue in Ketley which has been council-funded with further contributions from the Pride Fund of Cllrs Stephen Reynolds, Hilda Rhodes and Gilly Reynolds, while enhancements at Sutton Hill play area, supported by Madeley Parish Council, are due to start soon.
The council’s improvement programme covers a broad range of outdoor play provision, from traditional toddler and junior play areas featuring equipment for all abilities, to cutting edge skate parks and BMX tracks, and from outdoor gyms to sheltered seating areas where children can socialise outdoors.
Cllr Carolyn Healy (Lab), cabinet member for climate change, green spaces, natural and historic environment and cultural services, said:
“We’re very grateful to all partners who have come together to support our play area improvement programme, enabling us to stretch our budget even further. We all want children in Telford and Wrekin to have high quality play areas nearby.
“I’m delighted that this improvement programme is delivering better play provision across all parts of the borough and that we have further exciting play area upgrades in the pipeline.”
Photo features Cllr Carolyn Healy, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for climate change, green spaces, natural and historic environment and cultural services, with ward members and Dawley Hamlets parish councillors, Mayor of the Borough of Telford and Wrekin, Cllr Raj Mehta and Cllr Jayne Greenaway at Spring Village play area.
