Press Release

5 December 2018

New play equipment for Fareham children

.The gift of play has been given to thousands of children with new climbing frames, swings and roundabouts being installed in play areas across the Fareham Borough.

The Council has allocated £500,000 to improve play areas for children over the next five years.

Officers have carried out a review of all the play areas in the Borough to assess which pieces of equipment need updating and repainting.

In total, 20 play areas will be updated as part of improvement work with residents being consulted on each individual scheme to make sure children have their say on what equipment they want.

In the past year, Funtley Park and Warsash play areas have been improved and at Funtley, there's also adult outdoor gym equipment so parents, carers and grandparents can get active too.

Work will start in Spring 2019 on four play areas, Portchester Park, Sweethills Crescent in Sarisbury, Castle Street in Portchester and Eastern Parade in Fareham.

The next round of consultations has taken place with people being asked for their opinion on Barry's Meadow in Titchfield, Harbour View in Portchester, Bath Lane in Fareham and Swanwick Lane in Sarisbury.

Each consultation offers families a choice of different pieces of equipment which they can vote for and special attention has been made to ensure that where possible, inclusive equipment is installed. 

Traditional games and graphics will also be painted on the ground and equipment repainted and cleaned to make the play areas look as good as new as part of the improvement programme.

Executive Member of Leisure and Community, Cllr Sue Bell, said: "Play is so important for children and outdoor play should be encouraged. Not only does it keep children active and healthy but it also helps them socially.

"Young people spend so much time these days indoors on devices and we want to encourage children to get outdoors and play.

"To be able to play happily, children need to have equipment they like, so it is vital that we get the views of our residents and work together to get it right.

"There's so much work going on behind the scenes to improve play in the Borough. Children are our future and it's vital that we look after them and give them somewhere to play."

For more details about the five-year improvement plan please visit: https://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/out_and_about_in_fareham/play_areas/playareaimprovements.aspx.

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

The five-year improvement plan follows on from a previous five years of renovating play areas in the Fareham Borough.

The improvements are funded through Section 106 developer contributions that the Council receives.

Here are the schedule details of which play areas will be improved as part of the five-year scheme.

 
2018/19 – Year 1

Portchester Park
Sweethills Crescent
Castle Street, Portchester
Eastern Parade, Fareham

2019/20 – Year 2

Barry's Meadow play area
Harbour View play area
Bath Lane play area
Swanwick play area

2020/21 – Year 3

Dore Avenue play area, Portchester
Locks Heath House Park play area
Longacres play area, Fareham
Clydesdale play area, Sarisbury

2021/22 – Year 4

Salterns play area, Hill Head
Burridge play area, Sarisbury
Newtown play area, Portchester
Metcalfe play area, Stubbington

2022/23 – Year 5

Blackbrook Park play area, Fareham
Kenwood Road play area, Portchester
Kites Croft play area, Titchfield Common
West Street play area, Fareham

Over the previous five years, the following amounts have been spent on improving play areas in the Fareham Borough.

2013/14 – 44,817
2014/15 – 100,834
2015/16 – 366,443
2016/17 – 329,056
2017/18 – 352,010

For further information contact:

Customer Enquiries

Tel: 01329 236100
Email: customerservicecentre@fareham.gov.uk

Media Enquiries

The Communications Team
Tel: 01329 824310
Email: publicity@fareham.gov.uk
Fax: 01329 550576

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