Petts Wood Recreation Ground playground has reopened its gates after the £20,000 park improvement granted by the £1 million Platinum Jubilee Parks Fund.

The Deputy Mayor of Bromley, Councillor Keith Onslow and Deputy Mayoress Sara Onslow opened the newly improved children’s play area at Petts Wood Recreation Ground, also known as Eynsford Recreation Ground. Bromley Council’s Platinum Jubilee Parks Fund has so far supported 30 of the borough’s parks with over £420,000 committed towards conservation and improvement work.

As one of the recipients, Friends of Crofton and Sparrow Woods has designed and delivered, with the council’s partners at idverde, an upgraded and accessible children’s play area which includes:

  • New swings (basket swing and a Me to You swing)
  • Toddler train
  • Hen and horse springer

The Friends group also arranged a special community day to paint park equipment, benches, and decorate some of the furnishings in the park.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Keith Onslow and Ward Councillor for Petts Wood and Knoll, says “I would like to thank our magnificent Friends and idverde for creating this outstanding play area. They have worked closely with the local play group to make this site as accessible and safe for our children to enjoy, and we are glad to see that we have dedicated Friends that are investing in the future of generations to come. If you would like to join the Friends group, then I know that they would be interested in hearing from you.”

The Deputy Mayor added, “I was pleased to hear about Parkfield Panthers FC’s growing success, and thank them for kindly providing facilities for our contractors at the Pavilion during the works.”

In addition to the play equipment, new wetpour surfacing, a specialist rubber floor surface, has also been installed in the playpark to ensure children’s safety in case of a fall, and to aid in proper drainage from the site in the event of adverse weather conditions.

While work continues across the borough on other exciting projects, the completion of the play area at Petts Wood marks another successful chapter in the council’s fund supporting the borough’s parks and honouring the late Queen.

If you would like to join the Friends of Crofton and Sparrow Woods, and contribute to conserving the park, then visit their website.

Ends

Notes to editors:

  • The £1 million of funding for Bromley’s Parks supports proposals for a range of enhancements across the borough, including improvements to play areas, enhancements to the natural beauty of public gardens, or biodiversity and upgrading facilities.
  • Applications for the Platinum Jubilee Parks Fund were invited for up to £40,000 of funding available for each ward with a ceiling of £20,000 for each proposal, a wide variety of additional applications are expected over the lifetime of the fund.

For media enquiries, please contact Justin Brown, Public Affairs Officer, on 020 8461 7872 or email justin.brown@bromley.gov.uk

Published: 25th August 2023