IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO RADFORD SEMELE PLAYING FIELD

Following the ROSPA safety report in 2019 some of the play areas were identified as needing to be improved.  

The Parish Council built the costs into the budgets for 2020/21, however, due to a combination of adverse weather and then the impact of the Pandemic, starting the work was delayed, the budget for this was carried forward into 2021/22.

The delays resulted in the work needing to be retendered and submitted back the Parish Council for approval.  At the Parish Council meeting on Monday 29th March, the Parish Council approved the works to refurbish the skateboard park and to replace the cableway (zip wire).

Refurbishment of the Skateboard Park

The works comprise the following: 

• Remove all skateboard ramps and galvanised steel rails. 
• Replace concrete edgings around the perimeter of the park. 
• Regulate areas of damaged bituminous surfacing and overlay whole area with 30mm of wearing course. 
• Repaint all steel skateboard structures and refit. 
• Refit galvanised steel grind rails. 

The works have been delayed due to the knock on effects of the Covid 19 Pandemic and it has been necessary to invite further quotations for the works. 

The cost will now be £10,375 + VAT. This work will be undertaken by local contractors C.J. & N.D.Wright. 

The skateboard park works is due to start at the beginning of October (weather permitting) and will take about one week to complete.

Installation of a new Zip Wire (Cableway)

Following the safety inspection report by RoSPA in 2019 the inspector considered that the Cableway (zip wire) timber supports showed signs of decay that could affect the structural integrity and recommended its replacement.

There are two stages to this work as follows:

• To dismantle the existing cableway structure and undertake earthworks to remove the mound of earth at one end to prepare a level platform for the new structure. Former Councillor Henry Marriott with the help of Parish Councillors completed this work in June. The excavated material was used to fill a non-drainage ditch by the old Lodge building on the Spring Lane path alongside the playing field boundary. 
• To supply and erect the new cableway structure now that the earthworks are complete. It was agreed that a works order be placed with Wicksteed at a total cost of £8,515 plus VAT, to include a 30 metre steel cableway, grass safety matting, carriage and installation. This work is due to start in mid August. 

A contingency sum of £200 for turf along line of cableway and £500 for removal of waste material to tip has been allowed, although a significant amount of the excavated material was used as part of the project for filling the ditch.

Outdoor Gym Equipment (Update)

The proposals for outdoor gym equipment were approved in 2019 subject to obtaining grant funding to support this. 

Now the Parish Council is absolutely delighted to have been awarded a £30,000 grant from HS2. This is from its Community and Environmental Fund. This money will be used to install a range of exercise equipment on the playing field (as shown above) for use by adults and youngsters over the age of 14 years. 

Construction work is planned to start at the beginning of October and should take between 1 and 2 weeks to complete. Once the facility is in place an open event will be organised to demonstrate the use of the machines and to provide guidance on fitness training for users.

Ditch adjacent to the Spring Lane development.

Work was planned to make safe the southern section of ditch that runs from the new houses built on the Old Lodge site and the path running from the Playing Field to the Spring Lane Path. 

This section of ditch was not part of a watercourse but did fill up with water that became stagnant and was open enough to present a significant risk for small children. Filling the ditch removes the potential for small children to fall into the space. 

Consultations with FoRGE identified solutions to allow infill of the ditch whilst at the same time sustaining a habitat for wildlife around that area. 

In June the waste excavations for the new Cableway were used as infill to the ditch to promote vegetation growth. At the same time a number of wildlife areas were created comprising brick rubble and concrete blocks topped off with logs and branches. In the autumn trees will be planted along the playing field verge boundary and a wild flower seed mix will be sown.