Northwood Recreation Ground – site of new play area
Cowes Town Council are developing a new play area at Northwood Recreation Ground situated adjacent to the existing play area. This new facility is to be in operation by the end of March 2010.
The project started with consultation for a recreational pathway within the Recreation Ground as the first phase of the project that could include a more exciting and challenging play area as phase two. Cowes Town Council had the opportunity to submit an application for "Playbuilder" funding as the IW Council had secured £1.3 million government funding to deliver 22 projects over two years to offer additional recreation facilities for children and young people.
Cowes Town Council secured £50,000 of funding for this play area and a further £2,500 of revenue funding to support the consultation and design elements of the project in the first wave of funding. It was therefore decided to concentrate on the play area in phase one of the project to be followed with phase two, which will concentrate on the Recreational Pathway and which will be linked to the new play area.
Cowes Town Council have also been successful in securing £10,000 of further funding through the Youth Opportunities Fund and have engaged Groundwork Solent (www.groundwork-solent.org.uk) to assist us with the consultation, design, tendering and project management of the play area.
A consultation day was held last Summer at Northwood Cricket Club. Over 70 children from the Primary and Middle Schools in the Cowes cluster area attended the day and gave their views and ideas on what they would like to see in the new play area. Later in the day an opportunity was given for local residents and key user groups of the Recreation Ground to attend and give their views.
Groundwork Solent produced a sketch design of a proposed scheme following the consultation day, incorporating the suggestions that they had received. This was showcased at a second consultation day during Cowes Week 2009, outside the Southern Co-op store in the town.
Further consultation has been undertaken with the Crime Prevention Team, Cowes Safer Neighbourhood Team, the Environmental Neighbourhood Officer (ENO), IW Council Parks and Countryside Department, residents of the neighbouring property and other key user groups of the Recreation Ground.
Click here to access the August 2009 Consultation Day Report
Click here to access the Final Design
Groundworks Solent has put the scheme out to tender and Cowes Town Council has selected Caraway Construction Limited as the preferred contractors.
Construction of the play area has started and will be completed by the end of May 2010. The area will be securely fenced during all the construction work.
Cowes Town Council is currently holding a competition for children in the 7 to 13 age group to name the new play area and design signage to encourage dog owners to keep their dogs from roaming or fouling the area; entry forms and further information have been passed to all Primary and Middle schools in the Cowes area.
Further details will be posted on this website in due course, and given to the press, regarding an official opening of this new facility.
