Children cap fund-raising by opening Thurso playpark

A brother and sister from Thurso who set in motion a fund-raising campaign to upgrade their local playpark, have formally opened the community facility.

With the help of their parents, Dylan and Amy Cameron, 2 Dale Road, Thurso, set about the task of raising money to refurbish the Pennyland Drive playpark and their efforts were rewarded at Thursday’s opening ceremony.

The family approached local Highland Councillors and a meeting was set up to discuss the project and to see what assistance could be provided. Councillors were so impressed with the initiative that they agreed to help and set about securing funding assistance for them.

Firstly Councillors in Thurso agreed to contribute £25,000 from their ward discretionary budget.  Councillor John Rosie then approached the Director of Transport Environmental and Community Services regarding the project and he was able to match this amount which meant a project that looked like taking a number of years initially was able to go ahead almost immediately.

The local area community works manager approached a number of suppliers who drew up plans for the equipment and how it would be laid out and the children selected the one they most liked.

The Cameron family have continued with their fund raising and have purchased two large picnic tables at a cost of £1,000 for the play area and have another event planned for September and they have agreed that the money they raise will be handed over to the Highland  Council to purchase new equipment for other play areas within Thurso.

Some of the equipment removed from the Pennyland play area will refurbished by TEC Services and re-used in other ones.
 
Councillor Rosie said: “The Cameron family deserve a huge amount of credit for driving this project forward.  Thurso councillors are delighted to have played our part in a real community effort to breathe new live into the playpark.”