New £70,000 play area for Hartshill
Funding is now all in place to create a new adventure play area for Hartshill Hayes Country Park – and this will open in time to celebrate the park’s 30th birthday next year.
The play area is being installed thanks to funding of £25,000 from the Big Lottery and £22,106 from the landfill tax money of Waste Recycling Group, administered and distributed by Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd (WREN); the balance of £23,364 for the play equipment will be paid by Warwickshire County Council.
Sally Silk, Warwickshire County Council’s Country Parks Visitor Manager, said: “We’re delighted to have received such generous funding and are very excited to be building such a wonderful play area - to celebrate the 30 years that the park will have been open to the public in 2008.
“I’m sure its presence will encourage a lot more families to visit this country park, with its lovely areas of ancient woodland, where their children will not only be able to use the play equipment but where they will all be able to get some healthy exercise.”
Cllr Martin Heatley, the county council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “It’s partnerships like this that enable the county council to provide stunning new facilities such as this proposed play area for visitors to our country parks.
“We are very grateful for the offers of support from these other agencies and hope that we can continue to work together to provide further facilities, which will encourage the residents of Warwickshire to take trips into the countryside.
“It is very important that we encourage children into the countryside at an early age so that they can learn its importance to us all. I hope that this play area will help to do just that.”
The play area will cater for children between the ages of 3 and 14 years and will consist of a number of items of equipment, many of which will be suitable for those with special needs. It will be sited close to the Visitor Centre, where there are toilets and a small shop.
It is hoped that work to install the items of play equipment will start in October. The play area will be opened once all the access work has been completed and perimeter fencing installed.
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Editor’s Note:
For further information, call Sally Silk on 01827 872660.
Hartshill Hayes Country Park comprises 137 acres of woodland and open hilltop on a ridge overlooking the Anker valley. On a clear day there are panoramic views over four counties. It was first opened in 1978. It is situated approximately 4 miles from the centre of Nuneaton.
There are waymarked walks along through the woodland, with an Easy Access Trail for those with mobility problems.
Events and activities are organised throughout the year as part of Warwickshire’s Country Parks seasonal events’ programme.
There is no admission fee, just the cost of car parking (£1.50 per car).