Council agrees to renovate rundown Doncaster park after Free Press highlights residents' clean-up

Community campaigner Daniel Barwell was joined by local residents for the clean-up of Clay Lane Park earlier this month, helping to sweep up broken glass, clear rubbish and clean rundown play equipment.

And after the community clean up was highlighted, City of Doncaster Council has now said that a full deep clean of shabby play surfaces will be added to its repair programme.

Mr Barwell said: “After the park clean up and the Free Press, article the council have arranged to have Shackleton Road park floor cleaning added to their schedule of work.

“Hopefully something can be done about the equipment itself being repainted and repaired - if not we can do that ourselves - plenty of offers from those in the community to help there too.

“Safe to say we know how to pull up our sleeves to help the next generation play safely.”

The park in the middle of Doncaster’s Clay Lane Estate was littered with broken glass and rubbish with play equipment dirty and damaged.

After hearing about the state of the park former Doncaster councillor Mr Barwell took it upon himself to give the facility a much-needed spring clean.

So armed with sweeping brush and a jet wash and helped by local parents, he set about sprucing up the 70-year-old park – known by some residents as the Little Park, as it lies across from nearby Sandall Park (the Big Park).

He said: “A resident got in touch with me regarding broken glass in the park in Clay Lane.

"So I decided to get my sweeping brush and clear it up myself, going back a week later to wash the equipment too.

“Clay Lane park is probably the most secret and least maintained park in Doncaster, accessible only via an alleyway and unseen from the joining roadway.

“Unfortunately, it is slowly falling to disrepair alongside the old Clay Lane Club next to it, with rusted equipment and paint sections on the floor peeling away.

“The council came out to repair small sections of the matting a year ago after it was reported but since then other than the bins being emptied there hasn't been much done.”