£100,000 play equipment boost for Doncaster village

A planning application has been submitted to Doncaster Council for a range of apparatus that would be aimed at older children and teenagers and is due to be installed behind Barnby Dun Parish Hall, on Top Road.

It follows a campaign of fundraising from a team of volunteers known as the Barnby Dun Park Rangers, which has now been bolstered by grants from other organisations.

Barnby Dun with Kirk Sandall Parish Council chairman John Berriman confirmed a planning application for what would be the first phase of a scheme to improve the play facilities had been sent into Doncaster Council.

He said: "We have some money in now, so we can make a start early next year, and hopefully have everything completed by next summer.

"We're looking at a number of grants, and we've just had £50,000 confirmed from Suez. .

"We're hoping the first phase will be done by the end of April, with the work starting early in the new year. It will be a great thing for the village.

"There is already some equipment, albeit 30 years old, in an enclosed area for the youngest children, so we have started by getting equipment for the older ones."

The playground closed at one stage earlier this year after vandals had torn up a soft safety surface from under the play equipment. It was re-opened again after that was replaced with turf.

The planning application which has been submitted to Donaster Council would see items put in place including climbing frames, a rope climb, slides and a zip wire.

A group of eight mums was set up with the ambition of transforming the facilities into something the village could be proud of.

They have held fundraising events to try to improve the site which have brought in thousands of pounds, as well as looking at grants that were available.