New play areas a boon for city youngsters
CHILDREN in Bonymaen are the latest to see their community play area get a makeover thanks to Swansea Council's £7m upgrade programme.
Work on five more at Phoenix Centre in Townhill, Plasmarl, Gendros, Pontlliw and Clydach is due to get underway in late summer as part of a project to upgrade play facilities that is the biggest in Wales.
Ten more are expected to be agreed over the coming months to bring to more than 60 the number of completed schemes under a hugely-popular programme that's benefited communities across Swansea.
Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, said: "Residents in Bonymaen have been very keen to see an upgrade for their local play area and we're very pleased to have delivered it for them.
He said: "We know how popular upgraded play areas are. Many thousands of families have enjoyed using them over the last two years and every time we announce more, they are always welcomed locally.
"Apart from the five due to start this summer, we're also in advanced planning for upgrades at Jersey Park in St Thomas, Brynmill Park, Blaenymaes Playground, Cwm Level in Brynhyfryd and the DFS play area in Morriston.
"We're hoping to announce the location of upgrades in five other locations later in the summer."
Robert Francis-Davies, Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration and Tourism, said the latest round of projects would bring spending committed to the city's play area network to £7m.
He said: "We made our play areas pledge a policy commitment because we saw just how important they were to young families and children as a free place to go as we all emerged from the pandemic.
"We wanted to continue to encourage opportunities to get out and about and from my visits to see the sites, it's very clear the feedback has been enormously positive.
Since the start of the play areas programme communities across Swansea have seen investment in areas including Mayhill, West Cross, Garnswllt, Bonymaen, Mawr, Grovesend, Penclawdd and Birchgrove.
Apart from traditional swings, slides and roundabouts, features at some sites have also included zip wires, climbing frames and trampolines.
To find out more about the council's biggest ever investment in play areas go to: https://www.swansea.gov.uk/article/9312/A-new-generation-of-play-areas-for-our-children