Review into children’s play areas set to take place after council spends almost £1m on improvements
Great Yarmouth Borough Council will review the popularity of children's play areas at a council meeting. Cobholm Skate Park will receive a £100,000 investment. Picture: Joseph Norton - Credit: Archant
A council in Norfolk is set to launch a review into the popularity of children’s play areas after it spent almost £1m on improvements across the last 10 years.
Cobholm Skate Park. Picture: Joseph Norton - Credit: Archant
Councillors in Great Yarmouth will discuss the issue at a council meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council currently owns 96 play areas.
Leader of the Labour party in Great Yarmouth, Trevor Wainwright, described playgrounds as crucial assets to the borough.
"Play areas are still needed in the area because they are vitally important for children," he said.
"We want them to be outdoors and anything which encourages that can only be a good thing."
Councillors on the authority's environment committee will be asked to give the go ahead for a review to take place.
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The review is estimated to cost £15,000.
Earlier this year the council gave the green light for a £100,000 investment to be made into improving Cobholm Skate Park in Great Yarmouth.
The football cage at Cobholm play area in Great Yarmouth. Picture: Joseph Norton - Credit: Archant
Jessica Goddin, 17, has an eight-month-old baby and lives in Cobholm.
She said: "I don't really use the play area because there isn't much there.
"I think it's a really good idea to improve it.
"Adding some swings or play equipment would definitely encourage me to go there."
A sign on the fence at Cobholm Skate Park. Picture: Joseph Norton - Credit: Archant
Mr Wainwright also welcomed the investment.
"There is certainly areas of deprivation in the wards around Cobholm so the investment is really positive," he said.
"The skate park is starting to look worn down and improvements are badly needed."
A report prepared for the meeting reveals Great Yarmouth Borough Council has spent £902,893 on installing new equipment and resurfacing play areas in the last 10 years.
The report also says residents and councillors have raised concerns on the condition of play areas.
There is a sign on the fence at Cobholm Skate Park which says the council has removed a piece of equipment on the grounds of health and safety.
Carol Webster, who lives opposite the skate park in Mill Road, said it was popular during the summer months.
She said: "There's often a lot of kids playing football or on the park during the holidays.
"It's good to see them outside so improving the skate park can only be a positive."
