Kent County Council is investing in new and improved play areas across most of its country parks.

Kent Country Parks have received £1.1million of Public Health Covid-19 recovery funding to invest in its play provision.  The money will be used to improve existing play areas as well as install new play equipment.

At Shorne Woods Country Park for example, inclusive play equipment, including a wheelchair swing, will be installed to complement the new Changing Spaces toilet facility that opened in 2021.

The following country parks will see improvement work happening between March and May; Brockhill, Grove Ferry, Lullingstone, Manor Park, Pegwell Bay, Shorne Woods, Teston Bridge and Trosley.

The preliminary works schedule is:

 This may be subject to change, so visitors are advised to check the Country Parks Facebook and website for up-to-date information.

Kate Phillips, Head of Country Parks & Partnerships, said: “Our team is excited to see this investment into our play areas and look forward to providing new and exciting play opportunities for a wide range of ages and abilities.

Shorne Woods Country Park

“The work will mean that existing play areas will have to be closed while contractors remove old equipment and install new, so we ask visitors to please bear with us while we make these improvements”.

Mike Hill, KCC’s Cabinet member for Community and Regulatory Services, said: “Our Country Parks have been a real life-line to many Kent residents during the pandemic.

“I am delighted that we have secured this new investment which will allow a welcome enhancement to the opportunities for young people offered by our parks.”

The improvements planned at each country park over the next few months are:

• At Brockhill Country Park, Hythe, funding of £100,000 will help produce a more inclusive and accessible space for all age groups and generations.

Additions will include swings, two new climbing srtuctures, a tube slide to go alongside the existing embankment slide, sensory features providing texture and sound and ability roundabout among many other features.

The play area will also be resurfaced with recycled, rubber ‘Wetpour’ safety surfacing. The all-weather, impact absorbing surfacing helps prevent injuries while children are playing.

• The popular play park at Grove Ferry Picnic Site near Canterbury will soon be replaced with a brand-new suite of exciting and interactive equipment, thanks to funding of £150,000.Delivered by contractors Eibe, the play area will include several carefully considered inclusive elements such as easy access paths, access ramps to play equipment, an extra wide slide and an in-ground inclusive roundabout suitable for wheelchairs.
  

  An artist’s impression of the new play area at Grove Ferry

There will also be a trim-trail, seesaw, low level games and plenty of imaginative play with a Galleon climbing ship. In front of the fenced play area, will be an additional fenced picnic area with seating.

The play area will also be resurfaced with recycled, rubber ‘Wetpour’ safety surfacing. The all-weather, impact absorbing surfacing helps prevent injuries while children are playing.

• Pegwell Bay Country Park’s previous well-used play park will soon be replaced with a brand-new suite of exciting and interactive equipment, thanks to funding of £160,000 from Public Health Covid-19 recovery fund.

Delivered by contractors Playdale, the play area will include a number of carefully considered inclusive elements such as easy-access paths, an extra wide slide and an in-ground inclusive roundabout suitable for wheelchairs.

There will also be low level games and plenty of imaginative play with a pirate ship. In front of the fenced play area, will be an additional fenced picnic area with seating.

The play area will also be resurfaced with recycled, rubber ‘Wetpour’ safety surfacing. The all-weather, impact absorbing surfacing helps prevent injuries while children are playing.

• Manor Country Park at West Malling is working with Playdale to bring exciting new improvements to the existing play area. With funding of £150,000, the end result will be a more inclusive and accessible space for all age groups and generations featuring swings, two new climbing frames, seesaw, ability roundabout, sensory features providing texture and sound, cradle swings, among many other features.

The play area will also be resurfaced with recycled, rubber ‘Wetpour’ safety surfacing. The all-weather, impact absorbing surfacing helps prevent injuries while children are playing.

Additional play opportunities at Shorne Woods Country Park will soon be available thanks to funding of £235,000. Supplementing the existing play spaces already at the available, the brand-new play area – designed and installed by contractors Playdale – will include several carefully considered inclusive elements such as an ability swing, easy access ramps and an in-ground inclusive roundabout suitable for wheelchairs.

There will also be low level games and plenty of imaginative play with a play ship and train, as well as two new climbing structures, among many other features.

The play area will also be resurfaced with recycled, rubber ‘Wetpour’ safety surfacing. The all-weather, impact absorbing surfacing helps prevent injuries while children are playing.

A large slide and climbing structure in the current play area is also being replaced as part of the works.

• Teston Bridge Country Park is working with Playdale to bring exciting new improvements to the existing play area. With funding of £150,000, the end result will be a more inclusive and accessible space for all age groups and generations featuring a customised play galleon, cradle swings, new climbing frames, sensory features providing texture and sound and ability roundabout among many other features.

The play area will also be resurfaced with recycled, rubber ‘Wetpour’ safety surfacing. The all-weather, impact absorbing surfacing helps prevent injuries while children are playing.

• Trosley Country Park’s previous well-used play park will soon be replaced with a brand-new suite of exciting and interactive equipment, thanks to funding of £100,000.

Delivered by contractors Playdale, the play area will be an upgrade of the existing toddler play park and extension of the play area on the Trosley Trail.  Equipment includes a new climbing frame, inclusive swings, adventure wigwam and plenty of imaginative play opportunities with a play tractor and train, among many other features.

The new park follows on from upgrades to the visitor centre and café area completing the country park’s new look.

• Lullingstone Country Park will receive new play equipment throughout the park thanks to funding of £18,000. There will be a new play tractor and trailer for toddlers in the meadow, a second cradle swing in the woods and a new set of toddler and junior swings which can be found by following the Discovery trail.

Visitors can find out more about the country parks and up-to-date information on the play area improvements on KCC’s Country Parks web pages www.kent.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/kent-country-parks as well as on the individual country park Facebook pages.

KCC’s nine country parks provide some of the best natural habitats and landscapes that Kent has to offer. They offer a valuable leisure and educational resource for residents and visitors.

There are eight Green Flag awards, each of these parks having toilets, play areas, parking and cafes or seasonal refreshments.