THE finishing touches have recently been made to a community play area in Glazebury made entirely from natural materials.
The land leased to Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council by Bents Garden and Home on Warrington Road, has been welcoming a very different type of play and community area since 2015, when it was first opened.
Led by Glazebury Community Play Area Group, local residents have come together and designed, created, and managed the area since 2011 and it has been hugely welcomed by the community.
The play area offers a range of features including new play logs made from storm-damaged urban trees provided by Frankland Tree Services alongside Dave Thwaite, our specialist play log designer.
The area also offers a giant willow water vole and willow tunnel, sand play, den building areas and edible hedges, fruit trees and a community growing beds, it’s a haven for wildlife and demonstrates how a sustainable approach can create a valuable community space and a haven for wildlife.
The new play logs and other improvements have been kindly funded by the Parish Council, The Mersey Forest and Bents Garden Centre.
Group Chair Graham Borg said: ” We would like to thank all of our partners involved, it’s been great to refresh the logs and they’ve been eagerly anticipated by local children. As well bee-friendly plants within the raised beds, the old logs still remain on-site as wildlife habitat for hedgehogs, beetles, birds and other creatures”.
The group has worked alongside local Cllrs Christine Smith and Cllr Janet Seddon who have been overseeing the latest changes for the Parish Council.
Chris said: “It’s a lovely space for everyone to meet up, in lockdown, it was one of the few play areas which was able to remain open because everything is so natural. It’s a haven for wildlife too with nesting birds, water voles along the banks of the stream and bats which are regularly seen feeding in the summer months, we’ve even left long grass for ‘No Mow May’ to encourage more habitat for pollinators”.
Pictured – L to R Group member Glenys Borg, Group Chair Graham Borg, Cllr Christine Smith, Cllr Janet Seddon
