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Leisure Projects

August 2008

Since January 2007 Poole's Leisure Services has been investing more than £1million in improvements to facilities across the Borough!

New For You 2008/09

More than £800,000 is due to be spent on installing new equipment and improving safety in Poole's playgrounds.

• Small enhancement projects have been completed at Branksome Rec and Foreland Road play areas, with more underway at Charter Road and Turlin Moor Pavilion.  Also at Branksome Rec, a new climbing wall - the first for Poole - has been installed next to the play area.  It was officially opened by the Mayor on 26th June and has already proved popular with climbers of all ages.
• Refurbishment of the older childrens equipment at St Georges Field was completed in February, and a new toddler play area in July 2008. 
• New kick-about rebound walls/basketball hoops were installed at Harford Road open space in June, and at Scott Road open space in July.  
• Work started early in the spring on an exciting new range of play for Whitecliff Recreation Ground.  Unfortunately planning complications have resulted in a delay which prevents us from completing this project before the school summer holidays.  We would not want to close the playground to users during the holidays so it is likely that this project will now be delivered during Spring of 2009.
•  At Hamworthy Park plans will soon be underway on the complete refurbishment of the play area for children over the age of about 12 yrs. Phase One (a play area for younger children) was completed in May 2007.
• Sandbanks Recreation Ground - £400,000 is allocated to a project to provide a children's play area and improve the overall landscape at Poole's premier beach. Work started in March 2007 with substantial improvements to the beach entrance and landscaping around the Pavilion. A six metre tall activity net has been installed in a new children's play area and proved so popular that we now plan to extend the area and install further equipment.  A planning application is underway and this project is likely to be completed in 2009.
• Proposals to redesign the Walled Garden at Upton Country Park are an important element of the Park's restoration. The Council has funding towards it, but not enough to deliver what would be a high quality and comprehensive programme of improvements.  In December 2007 a funding application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund and in June 2008 we received notification regretting that our bid was unsuccessful.  The project team is currently looking at the options available to them.
• The views of residents, local traders and users of Parkstone Park at Ashley Cross are being sought on a raft of proposed improvements there, due in 2009. 
• £150,000 has been allocated to long overdue improvements to all three entrances to Alexandra Park in Parkstone.

Projects completed in 2007

• During 2007 the playground at Kingston Road was completely refurbished and a new one installed at Bourne Valley Youth Centre. At Hamworthy Park Phase One of a two-phase project saw the delivery of a new and very popular play area for younger children.
• £50,000 contributed to environmental improvements at Alderney Recreation Ground (since renamed Bourne Valley Park) that have transformed an underused and featureless open space into a haven for wildlife. We also created a new fishing lake for local youngsters.
• £150,000 paid for environmental improvements to Poole Park Lake which have allowed the introduction of recreational sailing for the first time in many years. Work was completed in April 2007, but it will be some time before the full benefits are apparent.
• At Branksome Chine £30,000 was spent on making Beach Road Car Park a more welcoming and user-friendly asset to our fabulous beaches.

The cost of all this work is covered by Planning Obligations Funding, money paid to the Council by private developers towards providing the facilities and services required to mitigate the impact of residential development and increased populations. Contributions go towards a range of local improvements - roads, schools, healthcare and, as in this case, leisure, play & recreational facilities.

The Green Card Scheme was introduced in December 2007, enabling residents, community groups and other organisations to propose Planning Obligations funded projects that they believe could improve the leisure opportunities for those living and working in Poole.