Works have begun at the Sherwood Avenue Park, Newark to reinvigorate and redevelop the area
Works have begun this week at an ambitious redevelopment with the installation of brand-new accessible play equipment.
The District Council’s Street Scene Team have been working to prepare the site for the redevelopment at Sherwood Avenue Play Park, Newark.
The Play Zone has been designed for children to enjoy outdoors, including ten pieces of accessible play equipment, both new and refurbished.
Children will also be able to play with the brand-new zip line under a canopy of trees and have a paddle and play in the Splash Area with a water rill and water-play equipment.
The zone has been designed for parents to be able to relax in seated areas with a full view of the play area to keep an eye out as their family enjoy the park.
Over the next few months, development will also begin on the additional new zones at the park, with areas built for all sections of the local community.
The Welcome Area includes new and improved entrances to the park, one for pedestrian park visitors and another for vehicle access when required.
It will also feature a range of planting, from meadow style planting to a new avenue of ornamental trees.
There will be an outdoor vendor area in this zone, for traders from the area such as coffee or food businesses, performers and entertainers.
The Active Zone at the park will be accessible to all ages and abilities, featuring a brand new, state of the art skate park in the site’s old lido.
Alongside the skate park there will be a resting area, a multi-use sports pitch, a free ride area for biking and skating, a fitness trail with a selection of outdoor exercise equipment.
There will also be a spiralling grass staircase-like trail for visitors to walk up and view across the park, with a mounted plaque to show the direction and distances to local sites such as Newark Castle.
Newark Town Mayor, councillor Diane Ledger, said: “I would just like to say how happy I am that the residents of Newark will be able to enjoy a safer, spacious, and accessible park.
“The new design caters for all ages groups and abilities, with an emphasis on nature and openness, creating a safe and welcoming space.
“I am excited to see the finished project and the use it will get for many years to come.”
A Silver Birch will lead park visitors into the Nature Zone along a wheelchair-friendly path made from recycled materials.
This area has been designed with biodiversity and wildlife at the heart of the plans, with new habitat areas such as log piles, insect houses, bat boxes and hedgehog hides all included.
An extensive planting programme will also take place to benefit pollinators and foraging wildlife.
Councillor Emma Oldham, portfolio holder for biodiversity an environmental services at Newark and Sherwood District Council said: “We know how important outdoor spaces such as this are to our residents, and we are committed to investing in our green spaces and parks, such as Sherwood Avenue Play Park, to better our district and benefit our communities.
“I’m so excited to see the plans beginning to take shape, and with opportunities for imaginative play, exploring nature and getting active, I know this park will be a vibrant, well-loved asset to our community.”
The plans to reinvigorate the site were developed using the results of the consultation and feedback shared by residents, local community groups and schools, and the District Council and Newark Town Council have worked closely to ensure these ideas were captured in the plans.
The redevelopment is also part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with £250,000 contributed towards the project.
In the early stages of the development, the District Council and Town Council conducted a public consultation to ensure the plans for the park reflect the wants and needs of residents.
From the feedback some concerns were raised about anti-social behaviour in the current park and the councils have worked alongside the Police to ensure the plans addressed these concerns.
