Issue details

To propose the redevelopment, together with agreeing the supplementary budget, rejuvenation and possibly reconfiguration of the play area in Memorial Gardens. The current play equipment and safer surfacing is coming to the end of its life. This is the only free-to-access play area for families visiting the town centre, is currently popular and has potential to be an amenity that helps encourage footfall from families in the centre of Crawley. The play area is a resource for all families across the Borough as well as attracting families from the surrounding towns.

The proposal will recommend the designs include accessible and specialist play equipment (for example, a wheelchair swing) so that children of all abilities are able to use the site. And for designs to be as sympathetic as possible to the surroundings.

Memorial Gardens’ play area is currently listed for maintenance only in the approved Report to Cabinet: ‘Play Facilities – Investment Proposals’ (4 December 2013). However, with the redevelopment of much of the town centre, including Queensway and improvements to visibility in Memorial Gardens, there is an opportunity to upgrade the play area alongside these works.