Residents raise £130,000 for park

by Lesley Wilkinson
A NEW £130,000 play area is to be created at a Warrington park – thanks to the initiative of a residents’ group.
People living in the Dorchester Road area of Great Sankey have raised the money in about 18 months to transform a park once plagued by vandalism and nuisance youths taking drugs and drinking.
The area known as the Boat Park – because it contained a play boat – will be transformed as a result of the initiative of the Dorchester Residents Association.
Residents set up the association have hearing that about £300 was held in an account for a previous residents association.
They formed the new group, started raising money and got the land owners to give them permission to improve the park and held a public consultation on its future.
New designs and equipment were then approved – and work on the ground is expected to start in January and take about eight weeks.
Association chairman Alan Izzard said the existing equipment and fences had been damaged by vandals.
He said: “Youths gathered in the park, but when police drove past, they hid behind some bushes. So we had the bushes and the old play equipment removed.
“There were unruly kids in the park every evening, drinking, taking drugs and causing hassle by starting fires. But now the anti-social behaviour has disappeared.”
Community events such as coffee mornings, table top sales, race nights, etc have raised more than £2,500 and grants have been obtained from WREN, the Grassroots Fund and the Government-backed Play Builder.
The improved park will be two play areas – one for juniors and one for toddlers.
Pictured: an artists’ impression of the play areas.