Playground Project - Frensham Parish Council

Hollowdene Playground Upgrade

After 35+ years our much loved playground is coming to the end of its life and needs to be replaced. The Parish Council have been reacting to various failures and preventative suggestions made by RoSPA during our annual audits but the playground equipment and floors are at a stage where these are becoming constant and expensive.

We had options to move the playground and increase parking but, based on responses from our recent survey and comments made to us during the Frensham Fayre it’s obvious that the preference is to leave it where it is.

Playground equipment and installation is very expensive and the Council has been budgeting reserves over a number of years. Additionally we have been allocated donations from the Frensham Fayre, however, we have been able to secure significant funding from Surrey County Council allowing us to start the project.

This funding comes with some conditions, tight timescales and stipulations which only gives us 6 months from receipt of the funding to completion of the project. This means that we need to have the playground equipment installed before July and therefore works to remove the old equipment will commence in late March with a planned finish date by end of June.

We will be issuing key project dates and will posting the design on our facebook page, website and notice boards in the recreation ground. You will find a link to FAQ on our website and facebook page in due course.

Please look out for posters on our grand opening!

We are busily collating the rest of the survey results and these will be available shortly via the same methods mentioned above.

Should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the Clerk 01252 793002 or clerk@frensham-pc.gov.uk

Further to our last update, we hope you like the playground design. This can be found on our website and facebook page and on the rear of the noticeboard in the playground.

You may have some questions as to why we have chosen the equipment and materials. We have a link to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) here, however if you have any additional questions please email the Clerk at clerk@frensham-pc.gov.uk who will be happy to answer them. We will also continue to add any additional questions and answers received to the FAQ.

Every playground requires statutory signage. These will be located on each entrance gate and we would like to personalize these with some local artwork. Therefore, we will be running an artwork competition for our younger residents during March.

The entry forms will be available at the Village Shop from 4th March and should be returned to the Parish Office (to the side of the shop) by 27th March. The winning artwork will be announced late April.

We will have more information on key dates towards the end of March and will continue to post regular updates as they arise.

/_UserFiles/Files/Copy of FAQf.pdf

We have had confirmation that works will commence in the playground area on Monday 13^th April. In order for this to be undertaken safely, the playground area will need to be completely cordoned off and also the car park will need to have an enclosed compound area.

This unfortunately means from this date, there will be no parking in the area closer to the club house and pedestrian access will be via the main entrance to Hollowdene and along Shortfield Common Road.

We appreciate this will have a significant impact on the village, however it is unavoidable in order to get the job completed.

There will be significant signage, including reminding those that park along Shortfield Common Road to refrain from obstructing the footway.

We have made arrangements for the Cricket Club to ensure any match parking is beyond the bund to try and alleviate issues and ask that you please bare with us.

Week commencing 13^th April will see the set up of the compound, removal of old equipment and the dead cedar tree, straightening of the footpath.

The main works to the playground installation will take place week commencing 20^th April.

Further updates will be posted when available.