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28th July 2009
Officially opened
27th July 2009
by the Mayor of
Poole,
Councillor Charles Meachin
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The design for play
The play area has been designed
and installed
by Russell Leisure of Poole.
The design reflects the special character of Sandbanks
and will appeal to a
large proportion of its visitors. It also includes elements of play that we feel could be
installed only in this particular space, making it unique in the
Borough.
Activities include sand play,
musical play and role play. There is also an area of shade to offer some
protection from the hot midday sun (or a spot of rain.
On the grassy mound to the west
of the play area, leading up to the newly refurbished café, is
the stainless steel 'Big White Water' - a modern play sculpture
for children - and for anyone else who cares to have a go.
Landscaping
The wooden fence
that surrounded the play area has been removed along three sides, to
create an open, welcoming space (one picket post boundary will
remain to separate the play area from the car park). Fencing
has been replaced by an
informal arrangement of boulders, wooden benches and
upright wooden sleepers.
The design includes a range of
raised wooden planters which were planted in September.
A new footpath leads from the
main Banks Road vehicle entrance (near the bus stop) around the
eastern edge of the car park and links with the boardwalk
that snakes through the play area.
The boardwalk is quite a
feature. It looks just like weathered hardwood but in fact it's
"Millboard" made from recycled waste
materials. It's a very low maintenance option and will
not rot, warp, or become slippery in the wet like real wood
decking would.
Project details
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Play equipment supplied &
installed by
Russell Leisure
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Landscape design by
Helen
Middleton-Stewart
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Landscaping by Borough
of Poole Grounds Maintenance Team
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Millboard decking for the
boardwalk supplied by
Elmdene
Group
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Footpath construction by J
Corcoran Ltd
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Budget £120,000 - £80,000 on play,
£40,000 on landscaping & access improvements
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Funding: Planning Obligations
(Canford Cliffs Ward)
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Lead Officers Martin
Whitchurch . 01202 261323 .
Email Martin
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and Sarah Austin . 01202 261325 .
Email Sarah
Project background
Since October 2005
Leisure Services have been developing a long-term project that
will:
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Create a sense of
arrival and destination at Sandbanks (something that was
lost with the haphazard development of the car park and
other facilities)
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Install a new equipped
children's play park behind the Pavilion
- Remodel the rear of
the Pavilion, creating an attractive and usable landscape
that meets the changing needs of beach users.
Work to improve the
pedestrian entrance to Sandbanks beach began in March
2007. A wide 'plaza' has been created and that
element of the project was completed in November, with
the planting of twelve semi-mature pine trees to line
the walkway from the car park to the promenade.
The rear of the
Pavilion was possibly the most unattractive area of the
recreation ground. Work was completed in December 2007
to improve the footpath and create new bedding and
architectural planting to provide a more formal setting
for the building. A new sand-filled play area was
created by transforming an unused area of scrubland and
reducing the size of the putting green.
In May 2007
planning approval was granted for the installation of a
6m high twin-masted Activity Net in the sand play area;
it was installed two months later.
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