Fun times ahead as new play area opens

OFFICIAL opening: Left to right, ward councillor Peter Dean, Mayor of Oldham Shadab Qumer, ward councillor Vita Price, along with members of the Clarksfield community group

A NEW play area in Clarksfield will keep children busy over the summer.

The refurbished space in Arundel Street was officially opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday by Oldham mayor councillor Shadab Qumer.

The site, next to St Barnabas' Church, was previously waste land that had once been a park, but had fallen into a state of disrepair and has been blighted by anti-social behaviour.

Due to local demand. the three councillors Peter Dean, Riaz Ahmed and Vita Price used some of their own budget and applied for funding from The Big Local and the Green Dividend to transform it into a proper park. The whole project cost £100,000.

Local families also helped to design it and suggested what they wanted to see in the play area and they will now help maintain it.

The 10-foot stone wall surrounding the park was taken down and replaced with new fencing.

The park also features a trim trail, exercise equipment, a big slide and swing, growing beds for vegetables, log trails and a tarmacked area for children to play games.

Councillor Peter Dean said: "It's looking fantastic. The last of the equipment was in two to three weeks ago and 200 children a day have been playing on it.

"Families are absolutely delighted. They all expressed delight at having something there.

"Clarksfield is an extremely built-up area and there are no recreational facilities, so we've created something they haven't had for many years.

"It has been a really pleasant experience for everybody and local communities joined in with the design and worked in preparing the site and keeping it clean.

"I would like to thank everybody who has taken part."