Dukes Meadows Playground Revamp Starts

Based on designs by Chiswick Community School and Croft Centre

Local children will soon have a new play area packed with opportunities for fun and adventure. On 1 September work starts on a complete revamp of the playground on Dukes Meadows.

The new area, designed with the help of young people from Chiswick Community School and the Croft Centre for disabled children, will provide older children of all abilities with a fun, challenging and exciting place for play.

It will cost in the region of £450,000 and funding has come from several sources, including a grant of £250,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, one of £75,000 from the London Marathon Trust, and one of £84,687 from The Veolia Environmental Trust, made through the Landfill Communities Fund. The project was also supported by The Garfield Weston Foundation, Extended Schools Cluster for Brentford and Chiswick and the London Borough of Hounslow.

Speaking about the start of the work, development manager Maria Krzyzosiak says, ‘It’s great that this project is getting off the ground and we can’t wait to see it finished. It will be a fantastic facility with exciting equipment. Both local children and disabled young people from the Croft Centre shared their ideas of a perfect playground with us. We hope that the place will meet their aspirations through being fun and adventurous yet accessible.’

‘There are no playgrounds that meet the needs of older children of all abilities or ones that encourage children of different abilities to mix. This playground will change this situation.’

The Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Margaret Cobbold, adds, ‘The Trust works to support community and environmental projects across the UK. Playgrounds make a vital contribution to young people’s quality of life and supporting their improvement or creation is one of our key objectives. I look forward to seeing the work completed.’

August 28, 2009