Major new play area opens in Wokingham
The council has spent nearly half a million pounds on the Cantley Park facility
A major new play area with state-of-the-art interactive equipment will open at Cantley Park in Wokingham town on Friday.
The £450,000 facility replaces the old equipment near the park’s tennis courts.
The council say it's been designed to appeal to children of all ages, including teenagers, and is inclusive with wheelchair-accessible equipment. The equipment is laid out in zones for different age groups, allowing all ages to use the interactives and play together with their families.
Cllr Michael Firmager, deputy executive member for environment and leisure, said:
“We’re delighted to be opening this exciting new play area and would like to thank our residents for their patience while we were putting the finishing touches to it.
“It’s been eagerly awaited, and we know it has taken a little longer than expected to complete but we’re confident it’ll prove worth the wait.
“As part of our wider commitment to enriching residents’ lives and offering them every opportunity to live healthily, we want our children and young people to have spaces to play and be active outside.
“However, we know these days that we’re in competition with the latest gadgets and digital distractions – and that’s why we chose a design which offers similar rewards and will encourage young people to get off the sofa and enjoy it.
“Cantley Park already has so much to offer and is a real asset to our borough as a place where people go to exercise, play sport, relax and enjoy a meal or a night at the theatre. We’re proud to be giving families another fantastic reason to visit.”
The new play area was fully funded by contributions from developers building new homes in the area, which they are required to provide to improve play areas and parks for new residents and the wider community.