Have your say on playground funding bid

Local councillors are asking Dringhouses residents for their views on a possible funding bid to deliver improvements to the playgound on Leeside.

In December 2020 the council announced a £100,000 fund for play area improvements, through which communities can bid for up to £10,000 to be spent on replacing outdated equipment and refreshing play ideas with new kit. Any successful bid would need a 15% contribution from other sources, such as ward funding.

Cllr Paula Widdowson at the Leeside playground

In Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward, the council playgrounds at Nelsons Lane and Woodthorpe Green have benefited from significant investment in recent years, but the play area on Leeside (which is also owned and managed by the council) has not seen any investment. In winter months it is very boggy due to poor drainage on the site – councillors have tried to address this, but Yorkshire Water have refused to allow a drainage channel to be installed to flow into their pipes.

Ward councillors are now asking local residents for their views on whether and how the Leeside play area could be improved. Feedback will help to shape an application for funding, if residents feel that the play area would benefit from some investment.

These are the questions on which we would welcome feedback:

  1. Do you think that the Leeside play area would benefit from some investment?
  2. The play area is very boggy in the winter, making it difficult to use. Would you like to see astroturf (or a similar surface) laid on the kickabout area to make it more useable during wet weather?
  3. Are there any pieces of equipment currently in the play area which need updating? If so, please tell us which ones.
  4. Are there new pieces of kit which could be added? If so, please tell us what you would like to see installed.
  5. Do you have any other ideas or suggestions to improve the play area?

Residents are asked to send their feedback by e-mail to cllr.sfenton@york.gov.uk by the end of January, to allow time for the feedback to be collated and for a funding bid to be potentially submitted by the end of February.

Play area improvements get underway

The £62k scheme to improve play areas at Nelsons Lane and Woodthorpe Green got started during the week commencing 8 January. The improvements are part-funded by the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Ward Committee.

Initial work has focused on removing the equipment that isn’t to be retained and start the preparatory work for the new equipment to be installed.

Nelsons Lane – all existing play equipment removed

Woodthorpe Green – toddler play equipment retained (and to be re-painted when the weather is a bit warmer)

 

 

Woodthorpe playground improvements – winning design announced

Following a vote by residents of all ages organised by the Woodthorpe Community Group, the winning design for the revamp of Woodthorpe Green playground has been announced.

‘Design D’ was the winner

 

 

 

 

 

 

The £30,000 scheme is being funded by a combination of Ward Committee funds and money from City of York Council central. budgets.

The company that has secured the contract is Wicksteed Playgrounds – www.wicksteed.co.uk  The council will now discuss with Wicksteed a timetable for the work.

Woodthorpe Green play improvements – vote for your favourite scheme!

The play area at Woodthorpe Green is going to be updated with some new equipment, thanks to funding from City of York Council and the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Ward Committee.

The Woodthorpe Community Group is working with the council to gather feedback on plans that have been submitted by playground companies and would like everyone who uses the park to come along and vote for their preferred design.

Representatives from the Community Group will be in the playground from 3-4pm on Friday 22nd September and 10-11am on Saturday 23rd September. Playground users are invited to come along and vote for their favourite design.


Woodlands play area almost ready for re-opening

Woodlands playground refurbished

Woodlands playground refurbished

Hedges next to cycle path being trimmed back

Hedges next to cycle path being trimmed back

Workers were today putting the finishing touches to the refurbished Woodlands play area on Teal Drive/Bellhouse Way.

Hedges area being cut and all the safety surfaces have been renewed.

Children are likely to attend an “opening” later in the week.

Full marks to Rowntrees for talking to local residents about the future of the playground which had been locked closed for over 12 months.

 

NB. Part of the overgrown hedge blocking the cycle path has also now been cut back.