An action-packed family fun day marked the official opening last week of the refurbished playground at Lacey Green Park.
£45,000 has been spent revamping the ageing and old-fashioned swings, slides and roundabout as well as adding six new pieces of play equipment. These include a balancing trail, zip wire and a purpose-built climbing area with a ‘space net’ play structure created from a web of ropes and a climbing wall.
Youngsters at nearby Lacey Green Primary School had helped create mosaics, under the guidance of local community artist Ralph McGaul, which decorate the landscaped playground.
Cheshire East park ranger Ed Pilkington created a 'surprise' squirrel sculpture, which was unveiled and installed at the fun day on April 1st. Ed used a chainsaw to create the creature from wood taken from a tree felled in one of the council’s parks.
The revamp is part of the government-funded Playbuilder scheme, which covered 11 sites in Cheshire East in its first year.
Councillor Andrew Knowles, Cabinet member with responsibility for health and wellbeing, said: "The official opening was a great family occasion and something for the community to really celebrate.
"Cheshire East is committed to providing imaginative, creative, healthy, sociable and inclusive active spaces that communities can really enjoy and take ownership of."
Marianne Hodgkinson, technical officer for green spaces in health and wellbeing services, said: "This project is not just about new play equipment, it’s about creating a more attractive environment with play features for youngsters and their families."
Work on the playground began in November, and was largely completed by Christmas. Finishing touches were added later and the play area has now been officially handed over to Cheshire East Council by the contractors.
The Playbuilder project is funded by a £1.2m grant from the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The scheme aims to improve opportunities for all children and young people to access good quality public play spaces in their area.
Pictures, top: Jimmy Burling, aged five on the new climbing frame. Rachael Hodson (left) and Ella Shields with the new woodcarving.
