Hundreds of people call for new Coundon park play area

[dutchman]

More than 500 residents signed a petition calling for a children's play area in Moseley Avenue Park



Hundreds of people have issued a call to create a new children’s play area at Moseley Avenue Park in Coundon. Coventry City Council is set to discuss the plans this week.

A report to a city council cabinet meeting this week addresses a petition signed by more than 500 people calling for a play area to be developed on dilapidated tennis courts that have not been used for decades. The petition was submitted in August last year and supported by Councillor Gavin Lloyd and the late Councillor Seamus Walsh.

It says the nearest recreational children’s play areas are in Radford Road and Nauls Mill, both of which serve opposite sides of the area to Moseley Avenue central.

The petition states: “The particular area which would suit such a safe recreational installation used to be tennis courts and has been left derelict with loose gravel sitting on the surface for around 40 years now. This area being as it has been left for so long seems the ideal space for development, giving families with young children a place for them to play safely, promote physical activity, health and wellbeing.”

There are hurdles to overcome. But even if that plan is rejected - as officers are recommending - officials says options to create one nearby will be explored if and when funding becomes available. They also suggest some sort of facility could be created in Moseley Avenue Park, most likely a simple cycle track.

The prospects of creating a children’s play area have been addressed in a report to cabinet by city council officer Graham Hood, head of street pride and greenspace. At the outset, it was stressed there is insufficient funding for a new playground to be provided from the existing park service budgets.

However, it adds that the service will consider all available funding opportunities available at the earliest opportunity.

As regards what could ultimately be provided in Moseley Avenue Park it suggests a painted road layout to help young children develop their cycling skills. It says: “Covering the old Tarmac with a new wearing course onto which a road layout could be painted along with signage etc. This would enable very young cyclists to practise cycling skills before going onto the open road.

“Although this would not provide any fixed play equipment in the park, it would make good use of an otherwise unsightly area, link in with the sustainability and cycling initiatives in the Coundon area and avoid issues with excavating the contaminated ground.”

It says the estimated cost of such a scheme would be £60,000, based on a similar scheme in Spencer Park and adds: “This relatively high cost for an apparently simple task of resurfacing the old Tarmac plus the cost of road-marking is due to limited access into the park, the presence of contaminated ground and the need to ‘key’ in the new Tarmac.”