Better play facilities for youngsters

Date article online: 03/04/2008

Children across the borough are set to get the new and improved play facilities that they want and deserve - thanks to a massive cash boost from the government.

Rochdale Council has today been selected as one of only 20 local authorities across the country to become a 'play Pathfinder' area. That means around £2.5million of funding will be provided by central Government over the next three years to improve and develop existing play areas across the whole borough - as well as to build brand new facilities.

A quarter of all the borough's residents are under the age of 18, and recent consultation with 8-13 year olds found that they rate having a safe place to play as their number one priority.

It is anticipated that as part of the Pathfinder scheme, funding will be available to help make significant changes to play facilities in Falinge Park in Rochdale, which is in ward recently highlighted as being one of the most deprived in the UK. More than 15 other parks and play areas across the borough will also benefit from the extra investment.

Terry Piggott, Executive Director at Rochdale Council, said: "This is fantastic news for the borough. We're going to be one of only a handful of local authorities getting this extra money to vastly improve the lives of local children. It's a massive boost to the good work already going on to update play facilities in the borough and will mean that even more youngsters will now be able to benefit from safer places to go."

As well as the replacement of existing dilapidated play equipment, the Pathfinder scheme will help to pay for landscaping and drainage improvements in play areas - creating cleaner, greener, safer environments for children.

Mr Piggott added: "Evidence shows that high-quality outdoor play areas have a major impact on children's health so improving facilities will go some way to helping address increasing worries about childhood obesity in the borough.

"Working in partnership with a wide variety of local organisations, we have a clear vision for children and young people in a borough that has above-average levels of deprivation. It's vital that those youngsters get the best possible start in life and this is just one part of our strategy to make sure every child matters."