Park in line for a New Year makeover
Released: 15 January 2008
A Wolverhampton park area could soon be in line for a £1.5 million makeover.
Wolverhampton City Council, working in partnership with British Waterways, is carrying out the work to improve Wednesfield Park and King George V Playing Fields.
Work is already well underway on the first phase of the regeneration, and now the city council has submitted a planning application to create a new skate plaza and make improvements to the existing children’s play area.
It is hoped the skate plaza and play area will be opened by August, with the other work - which includes landscaping, planting and pathway improvements - completed before then.
Already a range of improvements have been carried out, including the development of a network of paths around the park and playing fields opposite, the replacement of perimeter fencing and gates and work to cut back or remove overgrown shrubs and trees in order to open up views around the park.
The skate plaza will replace the existing skate area which has poor drainage and provides only limited facilities. It is planned to move the skate equipment to another site.
A similar drainage problem affects the multi-use games area which will be given a new surface to help drain water away.
The skate plaza’s design is based on that of the plaza at Central Forest Park, Stoke, which is the biggest skate park of its type in Europe.
Though Wednesfield’s will be smaller in scale, it will be designed around a similar urban theme, featuring the sort of elements found in city centres such as handrails, grinding rails, steps, benches and kerbed ledges.
It can also be used by in-line skaters and BMX riders, as well as for general play.
Other work planned over the next few months includes the creation of a sensory garden, replanting and the installation of new rose beds.
Also under consideration is a scheme to rebuild changing rooms, accessed from Amos Lane, for people using the playing fields.
Councillor John Reynolds, Wolverhampton City Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture, said: “We have been working on refurbishing the park since last year, and the development of the skate plaza and the improvements to the play area form the second phase of the work.
“I am sure these proposed improvements will make Wednesfield Park and King George V Playing Fields even more popular with their users.”
The application for the skate plaza and improvements to the children’s play area will go before planners in the next few weeks. If approval is given, work to improve the park and its surroundings could begin in the spring.
It will cost around £1.5 million and has attracted funding from both the European Regional Development Fund and the Safer Stronger Communities Fund.
Issued by the press office.