City Council announces £1.5m investment into play areas across Newcastle
Newcastle City Council has announced plans for a £1.5m investment into children’s play areas across the city.
The council’s Cabinet approved a new phase of investment in local play areas on Monday evening.
Since 2019, the Council has invested £2m to improve 66 play spaces across the city.
And now they have agreed a £1.5m re-development programme for four flagship sites - Blakelaw Park, Riverside Country Park, Elswick Park and City Stadium.
Each of the four new sites will feature sensory, audio and visual play equipment, as well as natural play elements.
Communities will be involved in the design of the sites, with the destination play areas set to provide free and accessible sites for residents across the city.
Seven other neighbourhood sites will also each receive £90,000 to refurbish existing facilities and ensure they are accessible for all.
These improvements will take place across seven areas - Parklands, Castle, Chapel, Arthurs Hill, Benwell & Scotswood, Byker, and Walkergate. The Council claims these are where current gaps in provision have been identified.
Councillor Alex Hay, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “This is about more than new play equipment. It is about children of all abilities playing side by side.
“It is about families enjoying time together, and it is about communities taking pride in the spaces they share.
“I am proud to bring forward a programme that invests in our children, our families and the future of our city.