Grant for play area (From Gazette & Herald)

Grant for play area

CHILDREN in Staxton village, will have a new play area by spring thanks to a £6,000 Yorventure grant.

The funding will enable Staxton Playing Fields Association to create a new, safer area with a modern equipment on its seven-acre site, which also provides football and cricket facilities a a clubhouse for the 500-strong community.

The old play area was situated behind the clubhouse and its equipment had become dilapidated. The new play area will be a more visible site near the cricket pitch and will include swings for older children and toddlers, a slide, roundabout, woodbark surfacing and a safety fence.

Work is due to start early in February, weather permitting.

Michael Witty, chairman of the playing fields association, said: "We were advised to move and update the old play area on health and safety grounds so the Yorventure grant is very welcome.

"We have spent around £250,000 creating the playing fields since the association was formed in 1970 so this is a welcome new addition."

This is the second grant for Staxton village from Yorvenutre, which is backed by Northallerton based waste management company Yorwaste Ltd.

The environmental body awarded a £10,000 grant towards the refurbishment of Staxton village hall two years ago.

Updated: 11:24 Wednesday, January 29, 2003