Heeley People’s Park new playground will be officially opened this Friday, March 19.
The opening, with government restrictions, will take place between 3pm and 5pm. Afterwards, everyone is welcomed to use the playground.
The playground will be ready for use with “equipment that has never been seen in Heeley before,” according to Heeley Trust.
Frank Forman, from Heeley Trust, said: “The park became a lifeline for local people during the early days of the pandemic. We had a huge uptake in people exercising, walking and playing.
“It was amazing to see people taking care of the space; we had people litter picking and making sure it was clean. The impact this new playground will have on our community is incredible. We want this new equipment to be used by everyone and equally want to attract new users to our park.
“We have had to postpone the official opening event until later in the year, but, we will be holding a small socially distanced opening to ensure the new playground is open.”
Heeley’s People Park, managed by a charity called Heeley Trust, is the largest community-run park in the country. It includes a green lifeline, exercise space, picnic spot and playground.
Heeley Trust successfully fundraised via FCC Community Foundation in March 2020 for a complete playground refurbishment.
Timberplay, a company from Sheffield, was tasked with creating a new set of apparatus, which included a Pyramid Tower with Slide, Playhouses, and Whirlwind. New signage, seating and landscaping will be provided as part of the redesign process as well.
Paul Collings, owner of the Create Partnerships, said: “Heeley Trust is an inspirational organisation that receives national recognition for the excellent community work that they do. We’re delighted that they chose Timberplay for their playground upgrade.
“Timberplay builds world-class playgrounds around the globe, but it is always special to build playgrounds in our home city. We very much appreciate that Heeley Trust understands the benefits of investing in the local economy by supporting local businesses.”
The playground will be available 365 days a year, free of charge. Heeley community is extremely excited about its reopening, as many families cannot wait to use the playground and spend time there.
If you are interested in supporting Heeley’s People Park, visit their website.
