Group campaigning for Doncaster park to be rejuvenated

There is an ambitious project being taken on by the group Friends of Barnsley Road Playing Field, they are raising funds to rejuvenate the park.

The group is made up of local residents and councillors who want the park to become a safe space for children to play.

Vicky Annis-Scotting, group member said: “It’s for the children. They drew the plan up of what they wanted in the park.

“Then we created a sketch and a photo from their ideas.

“We’ve taken into account what everyone wanted and it will be a great area for local people to get more active.”

Their plans include transforming the mound in the park into a play area for children, with a road safety theme.

Including a miniature road map for children to learn the basics of road signs and a roundabout.

Councillor Kevin Rodger said: “There will be benches for parents to sit on and we are going to plant wildflower seeds to give the park a more appealing look.

“There will also be quarry stones and trees.”

“At the moment the park is antiquated and needs a refresh.”

The members of the group hope that by involving the local schools Saltersgate and Rosedale that the local children will have a vested interest in keeping the park clean.

Group member, Geraldine Annis- Potter said: “Hopefully they will look after it, they have been involved in the plans to create the new park area so hopefully they will put in the effort into the upkeep.”

The schools are organising non-uniform days to help the group hit their fundraising goals.

As well as a children’s play area the group hopes to add other new aspects to the park, including bug houses at the entrance to make the site more appealing.

In the future they hope to add even more to the park, adding a more modern playground and a fitness equipment area.

“It’s going to be a reclamation project, yanking weeds out of the ground and getting the site back to be useable.

“It’s important that we reclaim this site for the community,” said Councillor Rodger.  

The group have until July 12 to raise the £21,000 they need to complete their ambitions for the park, they’re almost a third of the way there currently, thanks to fundraising events they have put on over the last year.

Councillor Jane Nightingale said: “We held a Santa Dash last Christmas and a race night in February.

“It’s slowly building up but we need more donations to complete the project.”

Their fundraising efforts are continuing into the Summer months, they are holding a gala in the park on June 8.

Vicky said: “There is going to be craft stalls, a fire engine, an ice cream van and a bouncy castle.”

The group are currently looking for sponsorship by local businesses as well as donations by the public : https://www.spacehive.com/help-us-get-on-trax