Disabled children in Southport who have been unable to use their local playground have been given a huge boost after Ainsdale Civic Society was given vital funding.
The organisation has been granted £14,058 from Sefton Council to transform Ainsdale Village Park.
Ainsdale Civic Society, whose motto is ‘Caring for Ainsdale’, is trying to raise £27,058 for the scheme.
This would include a new: a new wheelchair accessible roundabout, a disability friendly swing, painting play area and gym equipment, and animal panels for play area fencing.
In her report to councillors, Sefton Council Head of Communities Tanya Wilcock said: “The children’s playground at Ainsdale Village Park does not have any equipment suitable for disabled children, especially wheelchair users and the group would like to start rectifying this by installing a wheelchair accessible roundabout and possibly a wheelchair accessible swing.
“There is a Special School in the area and the children are often taken out for walks around the Village. When they enter the park, they can see the playground but are unable to use it.
“Ainsdale Civic Society have spoken to various people including the Friends of Ainsdale Park and Green Sefton and all agree that this is something that the group should be doing for the children.
“The group wants disabled children to know that they are as important as every able-bodied child, and it is wrong that they are not catered for in local playgrounds.
“They want to install equipment that they can use so that they can play alongside everyone else and thereby feel an important part of the community, which they are.
“The group are hopeful that this will only be the start and that they can continue over time to install other equipment into this play area and then into the other play areas within the Village.”
In order to progres the scheme, Ainsdale Civic Society will be working with Green Sefton and Friends of Village Park as well as the members of the community.
Green Sefton, part of Sefton Council, will take responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of the equipment.
The group has had discussions with Green Sefton and they are in favour of the project as they are not in a position to purchase the equipment.
They have advised the group that the whole area is in need of resurfacing and that if Ainsdale Civic Society can pay for the area where the equipment will be placed, they will take care of the rest of the playground.
Sefton Council has provided £14,058 for Ainsdale Civic Society from its Community Transition Fund towards the overall costs of the project.
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