£250,000 Plans For St Albans Park Upgrade

12 February 2019, 17:14 | Updated: 12 February 2019, 17:20

Plans for the new £250,000 play area in St Albans have just gone on display (5pm).

Funding for the project has been secured by St Albans City and District Council, the park’s owners, and the community group Verulamium at Play.

Altogether £250,000 has been raised to replace the ageing swings, climbing frames and other attractions at the highly-popular spot.

The Council, working in partnership with Verulamium at Play, has commissioned designs from specialist companies.

They are on display til 8pm today at Verulamium Museum.

Feedback will then be weighed up before a design is chosen and the work is put out to tender.

As part of the project, it is planned to relocate the play area to the other side of the path, beside the outdoor gym.

Councillor Frances Leonard, Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said:

“I am delighted that this community-led project is now coming to fruition.

I urge anyone with an interest in improving Verulamium Park, and the play area in particular, to come along to the meeting and give us your views.

There is a range of exciting new designs for the play area and we want to ensure that whatever is chosen has the backing of all those with an interest in it.”

The money raised included £50,000 in S106 contributions, payments made to the Council by property developers for community infrastructure.

Verulamium at Play raised £64,000 from a crowd-funding campaign and other activities.

The Council’s City Neighbourhoods Committee, which maintains some community assets in the unparished area of St Albans, has contributed £137,000 from its budget.