PLANS to revitalise a Laughton Common recreation ground are expected to inject a breath of fresh air into the community.
The Laughton Common Tenants and Residents Association has teamed up with school pupils and other members of the community to work on the project on the land off Hangsman Lane.
Just weeks ago Rotherham Council announced that it had received a Gover
nment grant of £2 million to transform the 28 worst play areas in the borough.
Romney Bell, who is secretary of the residents’ association, hopes to see the ground transformed into a family play area within six months.
”At the moment the ground has two football pitches and some outdated play equipment,” she said.
”With the £50,000 from the Pathfinder project – which aims to help improve children’s play areas – we hope we can really make a change to the area.”
Consultation with children and parents in the community has established some possible designs for a play park.
”Questionnaires have gone out and the design they’re looking at is a very ‘natural’ one, which is in keeping with the environment.”
Alongside changes to the play equipment, there are also plans to plant trees and flowers around the recreation ground.
Laughton Common resident Graham Ronksley has been fully behind the scheme and has helped co-ordinate the involvement of the school pupils.
”Along with Jim Staveley, of Greenspace at Rotherham Council, I have been working to improve the environment around the recreation area.” he said. ”The kids are really interested and I think making this look good ensures that there is a better backdrop for everything else.”
Laughton Junior and Infant School and other members of the community to come up with ideas for improvements.
Children from the Laughton Common area who attend Laughton Junior and Infant School have also been getting involved in the plans.
Teaching assistant Jane Baker said: ”They were really proud to get involved and it’s given them a boost about living in their community.”
Dorothy Martin, who is landlady at The Gallows pub on Hangsman Lane, is supportive of the plans and has agreed to sponsor one of the trees.
”We have had some of the children’s work on show in the pub and the project has been good for getting children interested.”
Various people have been invited to plant trees on Saturday 29th November including Rother Valley MP Kevin Barron and the Rev Jane Bolton.
The full article contains 410 words and appears in Dinnington Guardian newspaper.
