Caithness Committee approves Investment for local play parks

At today’s meeting of the Highland Council’s Caithness Committee (Monday 20 January 2024) Members have approved £292,162 of funding to make improvements to five play parks.

Members agreed at Communities and Place Committee in November 2021 to allocate the funds received from the Scottish Government’s Play Park Renewal Fund be apportioned to Area Committees based on a blend of play park conditions and the criteria used by Government which is based on the 0–14-year-old population and rurality

The total allocation from the Scottish Government play parks renewal programme for the Caithness Area is £294,179, which has been split equally between the two Wards.

£146,824 of this funding will be used in Ward 2 for the following projects:

• Gillock Park Thurso (full refurbishment) £117,624
• Harland Road Castletown (new equipment of a sky carousel and a spring mobile) £4,200
• Dunnet (a new climbing frame) £19,000
• Scrabster (a sky carousel and a slide) £6,000

For Ward 3 £145,338 of the funding will be used to fully refurbish Grizzly Park in Wick.

Chair of the Committee Councillor Ron Gunn said: “Across the whole of Caithness there are 49 play areas and 335 pieces of play equipment so we have to prioritise projects that fit in with the specific criteria of the Scottish Government’s play park renewal fund.

“I’m pleased five more play parks are to benefit from investment. Play Park refurbishments are often facilitated through community fundraising, and community groups, who can take leases, or take Community Asset Transfers of play parks to enable improvements from external funders. This has been successfully achieved for many play parks throughout Caithness and we will continue to support communities to seek external sources of funding for more improvements.”

Additional to the decision made today, Members have allocated Place Based Investment Funds to improve and refurbish play parks throughout Caithness including Bignold, Hillhead and King Geroge V in Wick and Castle Terrace and Beach Road in Thurso

The provision of play parks in not a statutory duty; but the inspection and maintenance of equipment once installed, is a mandatory requirement. For this reason, play parks are subjected to daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly inspection based on usage and risk, and an annual inspection carried out by an independent, qualified playground inspector.

Following approval by the Committee today, orders will be placed for the equipment and works