New £94k play area opens in Bakers Park, Newton Abbot, on Saturday

In celebration of the opening there will be a two hour play event at the park from 11am - 1pm, hosted by Teignbridge Council, the Friends of Bakers Park, Newton Abbot Town Council and Newton Abbot Community Interest Company. 

During the event children will be able to use the equipment for the first time, along with other supervised activities including Den Building with TEPEE Play Rangers, wooden jewellery making with Newton Abbot Chidren's Centre and crafts for the very young with Ogwell Pre School. There will be refreshments provided by local cafe, Lemon Jelli.

Cllr Sylvia Russell, Chairman of Teignbridge District Council, and Cllr David Howe, Mayor of Newton Abbot, will be opening the play area at 11am on Saturday (27 March) as festivities get underway. 

The new play area is the first of three schemes being delivered in Teignbridge thanks to a successful bid by Teignbridge Council for national Government Play Builder funding. £45k of Play Builder funds went in to Bakers Park, which was one of only 11 projects in the county to be granted funding. Teignbridge Council added £40k to this, with Newton Abbot Town Council adding £9k for fencing.

The new play area has a 'natural play' theme, with its equipment and the surrounding environment blending with natural materials to create an exciting and unusual play facility. Among the equipment is an aerial runway zipwire, a large wooden climbing frame with nets, an 'inclusive' roundabout suitable for disabled access, traditional swings, a play trail and a natural dome made of willow. A separate toddlers' area includes swings and a multi-unit - including steps, a walkway and a slide.

Cllr David Howe, Mayor of Newton Abbot said:

"We're delighted to have helped provide this new play area for Bakers Park, which will be yet another top quality play facility for Newton Abbot.

"With natural equipment similar to that used at Decoy Country Park, I'm sure this will prove just as popular with local children and families."

The design for the new play area was helped by the Friends of Bakers Park community group and the Newton Abbot Community Interest Company, both of which helped facilitate consultation with local people and children.

Catherine Field from the Friends of Bakers Park said:

"We've been working closely with local people to find out what they want from the park, and the new play area was very much in demand.  Along with other recent improvements like the new sign and noticeboard, extra planting, seating, recycling bins and a new footpath, the play park is a real boost to the area, important not only for regular users but to help attract more visitors.

"We want to help make this a real community park for everyone to be proud of, and with this opening we're taking another big step in that direction."