Parents team together to build new park

12:00pm Sunday 17th March 2013 in News By Chloe Chapman

Residents in Brownlow Green, Basildon, have offered to contribute towards a new park. Residents in Brownlow Green, Basildon, have offered to contribute towards a new park.

PARENTS want to help pay for a new play area for their children after a lack of money scuppered council plans.

People living in Brownlow Green, Basildon, have offered to contribute towards a new park after plans dating back to 2011 failed to materialise due to a lack of funding.

But council bosses have now promised to review the decision after residents said they would contribute towards the scheme.

Mother of three Toni Groves, 24, said: “It was something we thought we were getting and then it was scrapped from under our feet, and our children have been let down.

“The nearest park we have behind Stacey’s Corner is just not safe for our children to go to on their own. Because this area is so enclosed and safe everyone would be happy to let their children play here.

“I have spoken to every resident on our street and they all support us, even the elderly ones. It will take a lot of legwork but we are keeping our fingers crossed.”

Mother of two Cheryl Blythe, 31, set up a petition three years ago to reinstate a play area after the original one was removed ten years earlier, but no new site has been created.

She said: “I think the kids can get themselves into trouble if they don’t have anywhere to go. There are lots of children in this street and if we had a park in this area they could be monitored by their parents and it would just be a safe environment for them to play in.

“I’m pretty confident something will get done this time.”

Residents are hoping to encourage local businesses to contribute equipment and money towards the play area.

They will meet with Kevin Blake, Basildon councillor responsible for leisure and arts, on Wednesday to discuss their ideas.

He said: “I took a decision not to build any new parks when we were doing away with some of our bad play areas, so we could save some money and make what we have already got better not create more. We can’t afford to make areas when we then need to maintain them.

“If the community is willing to put their money where their mouth in and contribute then they deserve a chance and we could bring something to the table too.

“I can’t promise anything and I still stick by my policy, but ignoring their community spirit would be bad.”
 

Comments (8)

12:24pm Sun 17 Mar 13

Cosmo Spring says...

don't highlight a green open space, it'll only get sold off by the greedy council for development....
don't highlight a green open space, it'll only get sold off by the greedy council for development.... Cosmo Spring

1:44pm Sun 17 Mar 13

supermadmax says...

Well done, but they should not have to pay for it.
Well done, but they should not have to pay for it. supermadmax

1:51pm Sun 17 Mar 13

ORACUS says...

*
* ORACUS

3:32pm Sun 17 Mar 13

TheWizzard says...

If it had been a play area in Billericay, Blakey would have dipped into the till to get equipment installed
If it had been a play area in Billericay, Blakey would have dipped into the till to get equipment installed TheWizzard

11:34pm Sun 17 Mar 13

hoppie says...

I wish the Residents all the very best.
I have been fortunate in that I have been in charge of the instalation of a number of play area's and seen first hand how it improves the area, but residents need to be involved.
I wish the Residents all the very best. I have been fortunate in that I have been in charge of the instalation of a number of play area's and seen first hand how it improves the area, but residents need to be involved. hoppie

8:34am Mon 18 Mar 13

Phil McCrakin says...

The parents should not only pay 100% of the cost but be subject to an ongoing levy to pay for the cleaning off of graffiti put on by their brats in the future.
The parents should not only pay 100% of the cost but be subject to an ongoing levy to pay for the cleaning off of graffiti put on by their brats in the future. Phil McCrakin

1:58pm Thu 4 Apr 13

mumsytoni says...

hoppie wrote:
I wish the Residents all the very best.
I have been fortunate in that I have been in charge of the instalation of a number of play area's and seen first hand how it improves the area, but residents need to be involved.
hi hoppie
im one of the parents involved we have now set up a spacehive page a still seeking funding from other resources we are NOT GIVING UP :) spacehive page is spacehive.com/giveou
rkidstheirparkthatwa
spromised also have facebook page http://www.facebook.
com/pages/Give-our-k
ids-their-park-you-p
romised/377443342363
250 come check us out!! :) x
[quote][p][bold]hoppie[/bold] wrote: I wish the Residents all the very best. I have been fortunate in that I have been in charge of the instalation of a number of play area's and seen first hand how it improves the area, but residents need to be involved.[/p][/quote]hi hoppie im one of the parents involved we have now set up a spacehive page a still seeking funding from other resources we are NOT GIVING UP :) spacehive page is spacehive.com/giveou rkidstheirparkthatwa spromised also have facebook page http://www.facebook. com/pages/Give-our-k ids-their-park-you-p romised/377443342363 250 come check us out!! :) x mumsytoni

1:58pm Thu 4 Apr 13

mumsytoni says...

im one of the parents involved we have now set up a spacehive page a still seeking funding from other resources we are NOT GIVING UP :) spacehive page is spacehive.com/giveou

rkidstheirparkthatwa

spromised also have facebook page http://www.facebook.

com/pages/Give-our-k

ids-their-park-you-p

romised/377443342363

250 come check us out!! :) x
im one of the parents involved we have now set up a spacehive page a still seeking funding from other resources we are NOT GIVING UP :) spacehive page is spacehive.com/giveou rkidstheirparkthatwa spromised also have facebook page http://www.facebook. com/pages/Give-our-k ids-their-park-you-p romised/377443342363 250 come check us out!! :) x mumsytoni

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