Families on Marsh celebrate funding boost for Lancaster play park

The application was made by the community centre’s Friends of Marsh group, and was awarded by the Lancashire Environmental Fund (LEF).

The Friends of Marsh community group has campaigned to improve the derelict Sycamore Grove play park ever since it was closed more than two years ago due to safety concerns.

The Friends have been awarded £28,000 from LEF to replace play equipment and surfacing, while Lancaster City Council will provide £10,000 and have agreed to install and maintain the park.

Coun Mandy Bannon, a member of the Friends of Marsh, said: “This is fantastic news for young children on the Marsh estate.

"They will have a great new park to play in safely, without having to walk too far from their homes.

"As well as benefiting from brand new play equipment, there will be benches for parents.

"In this way, it’s hoped that Sycamore Grove play park will become an important hub for young families on the estate.”

The play park desperately needs replacement equipment due to rotting wooden platforms and disintegrating surfacing, so the new equipment will be far more robust and long lasting.

The Friends of the Marsh consulted with local residents and parents before asking children at the Marsh Community Centre youth groups what sort of equipment they would like.

Katie Schad, chair of Friends of Marsh, said: “The Friends are very grateful to LEF for the money to revamp the playpark. It will be so good to watch it come back to life, and we look forward to seeing the work begin.”

Info for editors

The Friends of Marsh is a sub-group of the Marsh Community Centre charity. The Friends are a group of locally based people who meet at the community centre once or twice a term, to think through ways to support the area.

They welcome new members so if you would like to know more, email [email protected]

For more information on the Lancashire Environmental Fund, go online at https://www.lancsenvfund.org.uk/