Plenty of smiling faces in Manchester as Beverley Slater, secretary of Moss Vale Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, cuts the ribbon to launch a new play area for the community.
More than 180 residents attended the opening event at the playground in Silver Street, Irlam.
The association, which secured a £49,999 Community Spaces grant to fund the playground, has just been awarded a further grant to ensure the sustainability of the project.
The new money will pay for activities including a teddy bears’ picnic, Hallowe’en events, a pirate party, planting sessions and Christingle service, as well as equipment for maintenance.
Beverley says: “We are really excited about the extra work that can be done. We have had a fantastic response from local parents and children alike at how much the new play area is making a huge difference.”
The design of the play park has been based on drawings by the Moss Vale Youth Group of their ideal play area. Children from local schools worked with Irlam and Cadishead Arts Officer Fay Flatt to paint a colourful mural on the concrete fencing which runs the entire length of the play area.
The local community has shown its support for the project through the Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, who have developed a Facebook page to keep local people up to date on developments.
The page has a photographic record of the site being turned from unused grass and overgrown shrubs into an exciting playground. Comments on the page from customers include “It’s great watching this coming together from my living room window” and “Fantastic! Didn’t think it would take so little time to build”.
