Posted on 7th Nov
New play park areas at Sconce and Devon Park in Newark are now open.
The Green Flag Award-winning park now features a castle-themed play area, as a nod to Newark’s Civil War history.
A new Fitness Zone is now also open to the public.
Both areas were developed following a public consultation during the planning phase of the development.
Sconce and Devon is one of 10 play parks to be invested in as part of Newark and Sherwood District Council’s commitment to modernise, develop, and extend a number of the district’s play park areas during 2023.
Council chairman Coun Celia Brooks, who visited the park on its day with the new facilities,said: “It was lovely to see our local children and their families enjoying the new equipment in the park.
“You helped us develop these plans at our public consultation so I hope you can all enjoy these spaces knowing you helped create them for the community.”
Coun Emma Oldham, portfolio holder for Biodiversity and Environmental Services, added: “It is so exciting to see the wonderful new play areas open at Sconce and Devon Park and I hope everyone that helped us shape these plans enjoys seeing their thoughts and ideas brought to life.
“I’m so happy to see so many of you already out enjoying the play park and the fitness zone, especially despite the colder weather kicking in.
“We have invested into the play parks around our district because we know the important role they play in our communities as somewhere safe and free for families to get out in the fresh air and let our children and their imaginations run free.
“I can’t wait to see all 10 play parks open and looking better than ever and becoming more accessible for all.”
The developments support the council’s ambition to be greener, with materials for the projects being sourced from recycled goods. Materials such as used textiles, food packaging waste, and used plastic bags, for example, will be used in the improvements.
This sustainable sourcing of materials was successfully implemented for the recent development of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Garden, Newark, where features were built using recycled materials, including new bin stores and bug hotels made from fly-tipped wood that had been cleared from illegally-dumped waste around the district.
The council said it is committed to developing an ongoing cycle of investment into its local play parks and it is hoping that the improvements could also help to improve similar sites in the district.
