£62,000 for new play facility in Spofforth 22 Dec 09
21 December 2009
Residents of Spofforth near Harrogate are to benefit from a £50,000 play-builder grant from the Department of Children, Schools and Family.
The funding will come via local education authority North Yorkshire County Council, with a further £12,000* being contributed by Harrogate Borough Council.
Spofforth Parish Council is working with parks technical staff at the Borough Council to create a new visionary, natural play scheme for children in the village.
One of only three schemes in the Harrogate district to have been awarded this level of play builder grant, Cat Ross from Play England said that the proposals from Spofforth Parish Council were exciting and fulfilled all the criteria they were looking for.
Councillor Richard Cooper, Harrogate Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Cultural Services with responsibility for parks and open spaces says the proposals link children's play with an environmental project off East Park Road.
He added:
"We have worked very closely with Spofforth Parish Council and I congratulate them on the quality of their application for this funding.
Work is already well underway to develop a previously derelict site into a place of outstanding beauty.
As well as an orchard, there will be wild flowers, bird boxes and log piles to encourage insects and feeding stations.
"It is obvious that the parish councillors have a good understanding of children's play and the proposals will certainly stretch the youngsters' imagination."
Jane Turner, Headmistress of Spofforth CE Primary School is very supportive of the scheme which is involving her young pupils.
She said:
"This is a wonderful open space with lots of opportunities for unrestricted play it is good to see a scheme which blends with the environment and not against it."
Work will commence in January 2010 and will be completed by March 2010 but in the meantime there will be a full programme of events to ensure that children's play is given priority in Spofforth.
*This money comes from developers whereby the council asks for a contribution to provide new recreational facilities.