By KLTV Newsdesk
A local park in Newsome has won a national innovation award after recent renovations.
Kirklees council won a Special Judge’s Award in the Children’s Play category of the 2020 Street Design Awards for their work on Manor Rise Park, Newsome.
Manor Rise’s traditional wooden play equipment was removed after the old timber posts began to rot and become dangerous.
Using the newly freed space, the council’s landscape architects said they wanted to design and deliver a new and innovative approach to play.
The renovations took a few months to complete.
‘Natural Play facilities’
Cllr Naheed Mather Cabinet Member for Environment said: “Manor Rise Park is a fantastic example of how natural and imaginative play facilities can be incorporated into a space for both children and adults to enjoy.
“The national recognition for our approach is fantastic, but the pleasure and positive mental and physical health benefits that access to this area will have on the local community is what really matters.”
Community Involvement
The council says they have invested £50,000 into the park.
The park now uses natural materials such as logs and boulders to create pathways and encourage children’s imaginative play.
The council says the local community was involved through the renovation process, including consultations during the design stage, and a planting day to give residents an opportunity to get hands-on and help the park take shape.
The council added that they sourced all of the natural materials locally and that the park was put together by local council workers.
‘Model Approach‘
Speaking on the award, The Judges for the 2020 Street Design Awards said: “It was great to see local involvement, using the topography as an opportunity, not a barrier, and bespoke timber equipment offering a fantastic value for money solution.
“We think this should also be seen as a model of the sort of approach that can work wonders, and should certainly be valued in its local community.”
The 2020 Street Design Awards celebrate innovation and best practice in street design across the UK, you can learn more about the awards on their website.
