Five-star treatment for Royal Borough parks

Work swings into action from this week on new play areas across the borough.

Two of the five are brand new – at Braywick Park and Laggan Field in Maidenhead; two are refurbishments of existing play areas at Desborough Park, Maidenhead, and Park Corner in Windsor, and one is an extension to an existing play area at Home Park in Windsor.

First up are the two refurbishments and the Home Park extension, with the two "new boys" following in July and August:
· Desborough Park, Maidenhead (started this week - Monday June 23 - and due for completion by mid-July) – complete replacement of all the old equipment with activities including an aerial runway, two multiplay units with ladders, slides, nets and climbing wall, a speed gyro roundabout and spring rider
· Park Corner play area, Windsor (starts July 7 and scheduled for completion by the end of July) – replacement of old play equipment with new features including a five-man pod swing suitable for young children with sensory and learning difficulties, a multiplay unit and a springer rider
· Home Park, Windsor (work starts June 30) – providing more play equipment for younger children to widen the age range and supplement the existing facilities
· Braywick Park, Braywick Road, Maidenhead (work starts on August 4 and runs until the beginning of September ) – this brand new play area for nine-to-14-year-olds will feature climbing boulders, multiplay unit, pod-swing, skyrail runway and rodeoboard
· Laggan Field off Laggan Road, Maidenhead (work scheduled to begin on September 8 and finish at the beginning of October) – a new play area for ages 3–8 featuring swings, a stand-alone hip-hop slide, a falling star springer, "little steps" and a "rodeo disk" for balance and movement.

Cllr Jesse Grey, lead member for leisure and culture, said: "This is a very exciting programme of work which will provide some wonderful new and additional facilities in parks across the borough.

"We looked very carefully at areas where there is either currently no play provision at all or where the existing facilities had literally reached the end of its useful life – and these are the areas we are focussing our attention on.

"This programme will provide some exciting new equipment which children will want to use - will also encourage families to enjoy some of the beautiful open spaces we have in our borough as well as the health benefits of outdoor exercise."

The play areas in the £250,000 programme are funded by Section 106 developer contributions.

For further information about the new play areas contact landscape officers Deborah James, on 01628 796048 or Liz Cronin on 01628 796133.