Three playgrounds closed for refurbishment over the summer have reopened.
The park on Whitehawk Way reopened yesterday, and is the third of eight playgrounds receiving refurbishment over the summer to reopen, following Rottingdean Recreation Park and Saltdean Oval Park.
It features a climbing wall, spinning “Rodeoboard”, and an accessible swing set, complete with “Noah’s seat” – suitable for a local disabled boy.
Whitehawk and Marina Councillor Gill Williams said: “I’m absolutely delighted. They have been waiting a long time for this.
“The picnic benches will be for older kids and elderly people too. This area will be quite well used.
“The park is state of the art and these kids deserve it.”
Jazz Lloyd, from east Brighton campaign group Parklife, said: “It was a sad playground but now the kids will love it.”
The Whitehawk, Hollingdean and Woodingdean parks are being designed and developed by Proludic, with the others by playground manufacturers Kompan.
Between 2021 and 2024, a £3 million refurbishment programme – funded by Section 106 money from developers as well as housing revenue and council funding – will see 45 sites across the city get upgraded with accessible equipment.
The Whitehawk Way site, also known as ‘top park’, has been funded entirely by money from the council’s Housing Revenue as it is on council land.
Tim Bird from Proludic said: “I know how much this is going to mean to the community.
“We wanted something that was inclusive for the whole community and visually appealing.
“With the bird graphics on the tarmac, everyone in the surrounding flats can feel ownership of the space.”
Work started on each park in the following order:
- Rottingdean Recreation Park – now reopened
- Whitehawk Way (Top Park) – now reopened
- Saltdean Oval Park – now reopened
- Woollards Field (Maggie’s Corner) – closed from Monday, 31 July
- Woodingdean Central Park – closed from Monday, 7 August
- Knoll Park – closed from Monday, 14 August
- Hollingdean Park – closed from Monday, 21 August
- Queens Park – partially closed from Monday, 4 September
Hollingdean is the biggest project of the summer’s refurbishments, with £308,000 being spent on the playground, multi-use games area (MUGA) and outdoor fitness equipment.
The council said the closure of the parks over the summer school holidays was decided to avoid delays from poor weather impacting the installation of new equipment and safety surfaces.
