[T]he young people of High Carleton in Penrith celebrated the official opening of new play facilities located at Carleton Park on Tuesday 7 November 2017.
The development of the £45,000 project has been undertaken by Eden District Council working in partnership with the Carleton Park Development Group.
The Carleton Park Development Group was established in 2012 and so far has worked with the Council to install a ball wall and tarmac playing surface and install pitch drainage on the site, however there was a demand from the residents of the area to improve the existing play facilities.
The project set out to improve the range of play equipment on the site by providing additional facilities to those that were already there. Public consultation informed the project which set out to provide a range of play equipment targeting age groups from toddlers to teenagers.
The new play equipment was supplied and installed by Wicksteed and includes:
- An early years multi activity unit
- Spring rocker animals
- A basket swing
- A rotating swing
- A dual axis roundabout
- A multi activity climbing unit with bannister slide and new seating
The site of the play area was known to have surface water/drainage issues and included in the project brief was the desire to make the facility an all year play space by addressing this issue through the provision of tarmac paths to allow park users to access each item of play equipment.
Ian Parker, Eden District Council’s Leisure Services Officer, said; “The completion of this project is excellent news for the community of High Carleton. The members of the Carleton Park Development Group have worked closely with the Council in all aspects of design and should be congratulated for their commitment to this project and their efforts in securing all the funding.”
The project received funding support from Eden Community Fund, Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Waste Management Environmental Trust, Cumbria Community Foundation, Cumbrian Homes, Persimmon Homes, Pallister Co, Hadfield Trust, Penrith Town Council and Pride in Penrith Lottery.
Robert Walker, Chairman of the Carleton Park Development Group, said: “We are a voluntary organisation and will continue to liaise with the District Council about future improvements to the site. We would welcome more local residents becoming involved in the group’s work, as we need the support of the community to continue to improve the recreational facilities available at High Carleton. Please contact us through our Facebook page if you wish to get involved.”
If you have a project or event that has a wider community benefit why not apply to the Eden Community Fund for a grant. The deadline for applications for the next funding round is Friday 12 January 2018 for more information visit www.eden.gov.uk/communityfund
