Royal Opening of Dalneigh Play Area
A play area at Dalneigh, Inverness, which is providing a safe play environment for local children, will be opened by His Royal Highness, The Earl of Inverness, on Tuesday (22 May).
The opening by Prince Andrew marks a successful end to an eight-year campaign by Dalneigh and Columba Community Council, Inverness, to provide a multi-use games area as well as toddler and junior play facilities. The cost is £86,000.
Funding and management support from greeninverness, a partnership formed to create a strategy and action plan to improve, develop and sustain attractive, safe and accessible open space and amenity for Inverness, helped bring the project to fruition. Other funding has come from The Highland Council, William Gray Construction, and the James Cameron Community Centre.
Situated to the rear of Hawthorn Drive, the play area, is one of the first activity facilities to be developed alongside the new £100,000 Dalneigh trailblazer path.
Barry Kane, secretary of Dalneigh and Columba Community Council, said: “This eagerly awaited and much needed project will provide a safe and fun play environment for toddlers and young people in Dalneigh. We are extremely pleased with the support from greeninverness. Their assistance with funding applications and project management has meant that an idea generated more than 8 years ago has finally come to fruition.”
Debbie Maguire, greeninverness partnership officer, said: “It is great to have such a versatile play area in this area of the city and I am sure it will be well used. With the installation of CCTV and new lighting it is hoped this will increase security of the area.
“I am really pleased with the effort and commitment from the Community Council in delivering this project and I hope that other areas will be encouraged to contact me for assistance and information as to how they can improve and develop their green spaces. It can be a long process but as it is certainly worth it.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
For more information please contact Debbie Maguire, Greeninverness Officer at the City Partnership Office, 20 Bank Street, Inverness, IV1 1QU, Tel: 01463 723545, Email: debbie.maguire@highland.gov.uk Background information on greeninverness available on the website http://www.greeninverness.com/