Park in need of upgrade (From Penarth Times)

Park in need of upgrade

A SURVEY by a Penarth group has come up with suggestions to improve the play area of a local park.

Friends of Belle Vue Park have processed 226 questionnaires from children and parents of Albert Road School and Headlands School.

Top suggestion for the area was a climbing frame, which 120 put down on the two-page questionnaire.

Other suggestions were a bigger slide, a playhouse and a see-saw.

James Scot, of Queens Road,regularly visits the park with daughter Imogen. He said: "When the park is busy, there are not enough things for the kids to play on. More play apparatus for the children would be a nice addition."

Secretary of Friends of Belle Vue, Amy Stewart, said: "Our task is to design an exciting new play area based on the report, and to then find the money to make it happen."

Chairman of the Friends, Nick Penn, said: "The Friends came together so that the community could have a voice in making the park a better place.

"We've refurbished benches, improved security and held regular community events in the park. Being right next to Albert Primary, it's a fantastic park for children to play - we've already raised £4,000 for dog-proof fencing, now we're exploring every avenue to find funding for a decent play area."

Janice Gillian, secretary of the Penarth Community Arts Project, who have held two summer festivals in the park said: "It's great to see local children having their say. The park's a nice, safe place, but there's no doubt some of the equipment needs replacing."

Other results showed five percent did not use the park at all in the summer, and fifteen percent used the park seven days a week in the same period.

An overwhelming majority of 74 percent did not want dogs on the area.