The summer looks fun and bright for children in Elmbridge.
We are thrilled refurbishment works have been completed in West Molesey Recreation Ground and Molesey Hurst play areas just before the school holiday started, and children are now making the most of the long summer days having fun with friends at the play spaces they helped to design as part of last year’s consultation.
These refurbished / replacement play areas are the latest additions to our 2022-2027 refurbishment programme.
Works completed so far for children to enjoy:
2022
- Claygate Recreation Ground
- Cobham Recreation Ground
- Elmgrove Recreation Ground, Walton
- Molesey Hurst – part refurbishment
2023
- Coronation Recreation Ground, Hersham – part refurbishment
- Grovelands Recreation Ground, Molesey – basketball Court
- Grovelands Recreation Ground – play area slide
- Hurst Meadows, Molesey – part refurbishment
- Hersham Recreation Ground – splash pad, climber unit
- Littleheath Recreation Ground, Stoke D'Abernon Cobham – part refurbishment
- Lynwood Road Recreation Ground, Hinchley Wood – part refurbishment
- Thamesmead Open Space, Walton – whole play area
- Thrupps Lane Open Space, Hersham – swings, play unit
- West End Recreation Ground, Esher - springer and play unit
2024
- Ashley Park, Walton - surfacing and swings
- Churchfields Recreation Ground, Weybridge - pirate ship, play unit
- Claygate - roundabout
- Coronation - roundabout
- Downside Common, Cobham – play unit, springer and zip line
- Grovelands Recreation Ground – toddler play unit
- George Froude, Walton – single point swing
- Hersham Green - roundabout
- Hersham Recreation Ground – toddler play unit
- Lynwood Road Recreation Ground – 4-way springer
- Molesey Hurst - small play unit, springers and seesaw
- Riverhouse, Walton - roundabout
- West Molesey Recreation Ground – play unit, spinner, springer, roundabout and swings
On-going refurbishment / replacement projects, due to be completed in summer and autumn 2024:
- Hersham Green – zipline, springers and swings
- Grovelands Recreation Ground – junior play unit
- Grovelands Recreation Ground – trim Trail (callisthenics) equipment
- Churchfields Recreation Ground – play units, toddler trim trail
- Hurst Meadow – infant play unit, springers, seesaw and swings
Refurbishment / replacement projects, due to be completed in 2025:
- Hersham Recreation Ground – basketball court
- Summer Road Recreation Ground, Thames Ditton – whole play area
- Long Ditton – green gym / fitness area
- Long Ditton – basketball court
In Elmbridge, we recognise the importance of outdoor play for children’s development and wellbeing, and we want to make sure our play areas deliver a good and fun experience for visitors. More importantly, we welcome and take community views into account before we design our play spaces.
Since the launch of the refurbishment programme, parents, carers and children have been invited to share their preferences so they have access to play spaces that are truly theirs to enjoy. Our next refurbishment project is the Thames Ditton Summer Road recreation ground play area, and we are now asking residents to help us shape the new space to open in 2025.
Cllr Simon Waugh, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Commercial Strategy, said: “It is great to see the new play areas come to life, with input from families to create safe but exciting spaces for the children. We believe play is crucial to build active and healthy communities. We hope that the play areas will be enjoyed for many years to come.”
We prioritised the order for refurbishment based on play areas most in need of renewal and on an independent RoSPA* inspection report. The £419,000 refurbishment costs are met by funding from the strategic Community Infrastructure Levy funding programme and some of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
For more information about the play refurbishment programme, please email greenspaces@elmbridge.gov.uk
RoSPA*: The Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents