Play park projects set to resume as funding is secured

7th January 2011

Two projects in Eden to create children's play areas will go ahead after county wide funding was secured.

The £50,000 projects in Lazonby and Great Salkeld are part of more than half a million pounds of government funding for the continuation of a scheme to improve play areas for children throughout Cumbria.

Work on eleven sites can now proceed and will be completed in time for next year's summer holidays.

These are in addition to sixteen first phase play areas, which also cost half a million, and opened earlier this year.

Funding was frozen for the Playbuilder programme in July as part of the national spending review.

In October the government announced that funding of £576,846 would once again be made available, almost the same amount as originally earmarked.

This latest announcement means all eleven phase two projects will go ahead.
 
As well as the Eden play projects, two in Allerdale, one in Barrow, two in South Lakeland and two in Carlisle and tow in Copeland will also go ahead.

Cllr Anne Burns, Cumbria County Council cabinet member responsible for children's social care, said: "Now the grant money is secured we can get down to creating these second phase of play areas.

"We will continue to work closely with our district council partners and community organisations to provide play spaces that young people in Cumbria can benefit from for generations to come."

Jane Smith, Cumbria County Council's children's services strategic play officer, said: "This is wonderful news. Good play provision outdoors matters not only to children and young people but also for local communities, improving health and quality of life.

"The new Playbuilder sites will provide places for children, young people and families to go locally, where they can be active, creative and enjoy spending time together, free of charge."

Article by Eden Valley Messenger