Full News Report

22nd November 2024

Playground contractors arrive on site

COUNCIL play area visual

THERE was some good, albeit long-awaited news this week as contractors arrived on the site at Farriers Way, Widegates, to start the parish’s playground project.

This month’s parish magazine Outlook gave a full account of that was happening with the play area but, just in case you’ve been on Mars these past few months, here’s a little reminder…

Back in February outgoing Morval Parish Council clerk, Samantha Pengelly, was putting the final touches to Morval’s application for grant funding towards the proposed play park at Widegates. Everything was in place, she said, and while it was a question of being patient, she remained optimistic that the long-awaited project would become a reality before the year was out.

After so many false dawns, it may have seemed a tad optimistic…

But fast forward to early autumn and the new clerk, Laura Storey, having resolved technicalities over the lease – thanks to the willing assistance of the landowners, the Harding family, of Trebrownbridge – was able to confirm her predecessor’s vision.

The clerk said that the Council had finally been successful in obtaining part-funding from Cornwall Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, an offshoot of the Government’s £7.6-million Community ‘Levelling Up’ fund.

The Parish Council had applied for £200,000 and while the final grant was £120,000 it will be enough to establish a first-class play area on 800-square metres of land at Farriers Way, just off the A387 road through Widegates village opposite the Morview Road estate entrance.

With the assistance, experience and knowledge of Widegates resident, Richard Liddle, of the global award-winning Lydcott Lane glamping business in Widegates, the playground equipment has been ordered and a layout plan agreed that will provide a safe play area for all ages.

Kompan, the play equipment providers, and Somerset Landscapes, the groundworks and installation contractors, hope that, weather permitting, the playground will take six or seven weeks to complete.

The facility will have a self-closing gate at road access, and an additional bow-topped fence and self-closing gate to the play park itself for added security and safety.

Play elements featured in the plans include:

A four-tower toddler play unit with crawl tube, wobble bridge, and slide;
A pony see-saw; farm totem, and play tractor and trailer;
Two cradle swings (for younger children);
A double block bouldering climb and 25-metre-long zipline;
A multi-goal unit with football goal, targets, cricket stumps, basketball and netball hoop;
A balance trail and monkey bars;
A tall tower unit with tube slides;
An inclusive roundabout and nest swing along with two standard swings;
A recycled plastic picnic bench and two recycled plastic park benches, and…
A gazebo with perimeter bench seating (for cover from rain and shine).

Parish Council chairman, Cllr Andy Jackson, has paid tribute to everyone involved in finally getting the project over the line.

“I would like to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to all our council members and clerks (past and present) for their hard and tireless work in securing the necessary grants to make our new play park a reality,” he said.

“This project has been a long time coming, and your dedication, commitment, and passion for our community have been nothing short of inspiring.

“This park represents more than just a new space for our children to play – it symbolises the spirit of collaboration and the power of team-work.

“Without the relentless efforts of each and every one of you, we wouldn’t be celebrating this incredible achievement. Thank you all for your unwavering support and perseverance in making this vision come to life.”