Brand new play area opens at Leamington park

The new play area in Victoria Park. Picture courtesy of Warwick District Council.

Hundreds of families have already visited the new play area which has opened at Victoria Park.

The new £350,000 facility at Victoria Park, funded by Warwick District Council via section 106 agreements includes a six-metre-high tree house, a trim trail, modern swings and trampolines, a bigger sandpit and toddler area and double racing zipwires.

It is the result of an online survey of Victoria Park users in 2018 in which over 1,000 people responded to ideas for more modern and appealing equipment a multi-use play structure and has been installed by playground equipment supplier Kopman.

An aerial view of the new play area in Victoria Park. Picture courtesy of Warwick District Council.

David Adams, of the Friends of Victoria Park group, said: “We were delighted to be part of the team who evaluated and voted for Kompan’s inspired vision.

"Ever since the installation work started, our Facebook pages have been attracting a bumper number of likes from families of excited children.”

Councillor Moira-Ann Grainger, Warwick District Council’s portfolio holder for neighbourhood, added: “We've had to wait for this amazing new play area but the wait has been so worth it.

“This flagship play area will enhance Victoria Park as a special space for local families.

"I am also really pleased it is open and ready for the school holidays.”

The play area will remain open during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games from 28 July to 8 August, as the bowling greens the bowls events.

The installation of the new play area is in addition to several other improvement projects that the council has completed with the support of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) to enhance the park ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

Some £1.8 million was awarded to the council from CWLEP for infrastructure improvements ahead of the park’s role as an official venue during the games.

In front of the entrance to the new play area – Councillor Naveen Tangri, David Adams (Friends of Victoria Park), Rob Heard (Kompan), Councillor Mini Kaur Mangat (Chair of WDC), Councillor Moira-Ann Grainger, Councillor Andrew Day, Councillor Bill Gifford. Picture courtesy of Warwick District Council.

This included a sum of almost £1.6 million from the Government’s Local Growth Fund.

Improvements completed to date have included improving the playing surfaces of the bowling greens, internal and external renovations of the bowls pavilion and tennis pavilion and resurfacing of the public footpaths.