Date: 12/03/2010
Work will start this month on three high-profile projects to improve sport and recreational facilities for Buxton youngsters.
Costing £162,000 in total, the schemes managed by High Peak Borough Council will revitalise Cote Heath Sports Court, Ashwood Park Tennis Courts and Brown Edge Road Play Area.
The Ashwood Park and Brown Edge makeovers, starting on Monday 15 March will take around three weeks while the Cote Heath facelift, beginning a week later, will last around six weeks. All three facilities will be closed while the work happens.
The Cote Heath court will be resurfaced for football and basketball and will have new fencing. There will also be extra floodlighting for the court and additional ramps to the neighbouring skate park.
The £85,000 cost of the package has been met entirely from fundraising by the voluntary Cote Heath User Group and has come from a variety of sources including Community Space Fund, Derbyshire County Council Youth Opportunities Fund and Community Priorities Fund, Lafarge Aggregates, and Tarmac.
The Ashwood Park scheme will cost £50,000, of which £35,000 has been provided by the Borough Council, with £15,000 from the BIG Lottery Fund.
The work will feature the transformation of one of the tennis courts into a multi-use games area which will also have new fencing. The remaining tennis court will be re-fenced as well.
The Brown Edge project will cost £27,000, of which £20,000 has come from the BIG Lottery and £7,000 from the Borough Council as a contribution from a residential developer of neighbouring land.
Earmarked for children aged nought to 12, the refurbished site will feature a climbing wall, toddler climbing unit, fun ball game, spinner, picnic tables and new safety surface beneath the existing swings.
Said Andrew Bingham, Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development: "This trio of projects will provide much-needed new sports and recreational facilities for children and young people, underlining our commitment to the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
"Great credit is due to Cote Heath User Group for raising an amazing £85,000 for the sport court and skate park improvements. This is an astonishing achievement, and the volunteers should be very proud of themselves", he paid tribute.