Pathfinder programme starts to transform play facilities in parks

Release Date: 31-Dec-2008

Work is underway to invest the £2.65m won by the city council from the government’s Play Pathfinder programme to improve children’s play spaces in Bristol’s parks.

The first work at Avonmouth Park in St Andrew's Road uses £30,000 of the cash to create a new dog-free play space - five times the size of the original.

Over the next 18 months, over 30 local parks, play spaces and play settings - including adventure playgrounds - will be remodelled and improved.

The new, creative designs will reflect local children’s own ideas and will feature natural landscaping. The improvements will offer children more inclusive play opportunities that will challenge, stimulate and stretch their imaginations and encourage more young people to become physically active.

The improvements will help deliver the council's two key priorities of making our city safer and healther - and ensuring better neighbourhoods.

Councillor Rosalie Walker, Cabinet Member for Culture and Healthy Communities, donned a hard hat and wielded a spade to help contractors get started on digging up the play area at Avonmouth in preparation for major earthworks.

The Play Pathfinder programme is a national initiative, backed by the national body PlayEngland, to provide quality, inclusive play spaces for children in areas where they naturally play and meet. The aim is to secure local community involvement in the new developments, promote best practice, raise local aspirations and create a sense of ownership.

Play areas to be improved in year one of the programme (2008/09) are:-

Avonmouth Park
Blaise Castle Estate
Canford Park
Cottle Road Green Space
Felix Rd Adventure Playground
Hengrove Play Park
Kings Head Park
Lockleaze Adventure Playground
Southmead Adventure Playground
St George Park
Victory Park
Windmill Hill Adventure Playground

Sites currently proposed for work in Year Two (2009/10) are:-

Arnos Court Park
Begbrook Green Park
Brandon Hill Park
Gainsborough Square Park
Gores Marsh Park
Hartcliffe Millennium Green
Hillfields Park
Horfield Common (Ardagh)
Horfield Common (Bishopthorpe Rd)
Lamplighters Open Space
Netham Park
Oldbury Court Estate
Owen Square Park, Easton
Rawnsley Park, Easton
St Agnes Park/St Pauls Adventure Playground
St Andrews Park, Redland
Troopers Hill Field, St George East
Victoria Park (St Lukes), Windmill Hill
Willmott Park, Withywood

For all media enquiries relating to this press release, please contact Corporate Communications on 0117 922 2650.

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