Your Response Needed by 31st May as Part of Grant Funding Applications
Bladon Parish Council are planning to upgrade the playground surface from the existing playground bark to a more robust, longer-lasting wet pour rubber surface. Among the many reasons to make this change are:
- Maintaining the current bark surfacing requires topping up the bark annually as well as completely removing and disposing of the decomposing bark and replacing the entire surface every 5-7 years.
- Bark deliveries are complicated by vehicle access limitations.
- Estimated maintenance costs for the current surface over the next 10 years, at today’s prices, are approximately £89,000.
- Wet pour surface is much more accessible for buggies and wheelchairs, as well as being a safer surface for users with cystic fibrosis.
- The new surface will last a minimum of 10-15 years and be much lower maintenance.
- Estimates for wet pour surfacing, including installation, are approximately £70,000-£85,000.
We are applying for grants to cover most, if not all, the cost, as we are very keen to avoid passing the cost on to the village by increasing the precept. However, the grant applications ask for us to demonstrate that we have consulted current and future users of the playground on this issue. We must be able to show evidence that we have consulted users and need your help in providing this.
Please send any comments you have on replacing the surface to clerk@bladon-pc.gov.uk by 31st May.
If you do not have any specific comments, feel free to copy and paste one of the following into an email to clerk@bladon-pc.gov.uk:
- As a current and future user of Bladon Recreation Ground, I am in favour of resurfacing the playground.
- I do not support changing the playground surface from bark to wet pour.
Thank you for your help. Please contact the clerk with any questions.
Bladon Parish Council