Camden news: Plans for play area | Waterlow Park

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Camden News - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 18 December 2008

Plans for new play area need to be parked

PLANS for a new playground in Waterlow Park have been criticised for being sited in the wrong place by the volunteers who look after the Highgate space.
Camden Council have asked park users for their views on where the playground should go and designers have chosen a stretch of grass at the foot of the southern slopes of the park.
But voluntary group the Fri ends of Waterlow Park say it would be much better if the playground, aimed at children aged six to 11, was on a patch of unused land closer to the toddlers’ play area near the Dartmouth Park Hill entrance.
Now they are lobbying Camden to scrap their original plans and think again. However, time is short: the cash for the scheme is being doled out by Whitehall – but bids have to be submitted by the new year.
Friends’ chairwoman Ceridwen Roberts said she felt sympathy for the Town Hall, but because of the historic nature of the park and the need to get the job done, it was too important to hurry though a scheme.
She said: “They are admittedly caught between a rock and a hard place, because of the time they have been given to get the bid in.
“But the siting of the playground is not where it should be and we are disappointed at the length of consultation – just one week for people to air their views. The Friends are not against additional play areas. Young people have just as much right to enjoy Waterlow Park as everyone else, but let us get this right.”
A council spokeswoman said the plans were part of a £2.6million pot for 29 new play areas across the borough.
She added: “We are aware of concerns about the location of the play area and have decided to carry out additional consultation. The proposal to improve play facilities reflects the need for play areas for older children.”

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