The Parish Council share their ambition to replace and enhance open spaces within Crowland.
The Parish Council is pleased that there is interest in supporting its intention to replace and enhance the open space and children's playgrounds.
Any help, including financial, is to be welcomed as long as the long term responsibility, insurance and health and safety requirements are fully understood. The full programme is to replace/enhance the toddlers area and the adventure playground, to provide a skatepark suitable for skateboards, scooters and bikes, the installation of an all weather MUGA ( Multi User Games Area) as well as outdoor keep fit equipment.
The overall cost of this ambitious project is circa £300,000 of which around £160,000 has already been identified. In appreciating that not all ratepayers will be supportive of the proposals the council has undertaken one of its obligations to prise money into the Town from external sources, to avoid the whole burden falling directly on council funds, and will continue to do so for the balance.
Heavy demands for affordable housing, Lincolnshire County Council education provision, Health Service requirements, road improvements, on site open space provision etc. generally result in no other funding being affordable out of residential development occurring in the Town for other projects. However the council continues to request contributions from that source.
Whilst the council understands frustration at the time it takes to move forward with projects of this nature it is to former councils credit that their choice of play equipment, installed so long ago, has indeed served generations of youngsters and stood the test of time It is also a fact that impressions gained as a youngster change with age as have the expectation of the general public...
Damage has occurred over the years resulting in closure of some equipment and expensive repairs of others. Obligatory annual inspections have resulted in individual pieces of equipment being taken out of service. Health & Safety and insurance requirements have changed over the years again resulting in the loss of some items. Deterioration has also been a factor revealed at annual inspections.
The council has to provide allotments. It has a statutory obligation to do so where a need is identified. The reason for moving them is well documented with public consultation having been carried out through public exhibitions. The re-development of the present site will create long term additional income to help support all of the council activities in the future. Again allotments are not all ratepayers priority but the move and enhancement will create a fantastic facility and one which Crowland should be proud of even though it is for a minority use.
It is worth just repeating that the Snowden and surrounding fields are all part of land actually bought by a previous council. The Kissing Ground is owned by The Church and rented to the Council. All are maintained by the parish council.
The programme is well advanced and includes the following;
Skatepark
This has now been constructed and is getting lots of use by the young, and not so young, of Crowland.
Adventure Playground
5 new items, including 2 zipwires, have been installed.
Toddler's Playground
Redevelopment is proposed to be part of the residential development of the allotments to be carried out at the commencement of that project. Specification and quotes being discussed with developers. Anticipated start spring 2020.
MUGA
Funding is not yet in place. The Council is continuing to find external finance. Final site still under discussion.
Outdoor keep fit equipment
Funding not secured as yet. Agreed in principle with further work on details including site to be discussed and agreed by council.