Relief at Diamond Park rethink
Straight-talking Lynette Steel, aged 10, summed up to perfection Diamond Hall Pocket Park, branded in a national newspaper as Britain's most miserable playground: "I'm heartbroken and so embarrassed because it's got our school's name on it."
Before today's news about the rethink, she and fellow pupils at Diamond Hall Junior School had every reason to be shocked by the five cement plinths that caused public outrage, after they pitted their wits at the council's invitation for what they would like to see there.
Predictably with slides, swings and all the things children like, they came up with their model park.
Lynette said: "I can't really remember everything because it's so long ago."
But the outspoken Pallion youngster needed no prompting what an embarrassment it is with: "The pupils at St Joseph's thought we designed it."
Such a slur Lynette found hard to swallow and on seeing the park on the television and the council's comment that children should use their imagination here, she said: "I saw this boy and he was only eight and he wasn't from our school and he said
'you will have to have use your imagination because there's nothing to do'."
Nothing indeed, except crack your head on the cement as six-year-old Michael Turner did when he fell off one block and hit his head on another.
So hands up, where's your favourite park or play area and what are your memories?
Roker's great with a pirate ship in sand, Herrington Country Park and revamped Barnes Park. Mine has to be Cornthwaite at Whitburn, a delight for any youngster with bark chippings, slides, climbing frames and wooden bridges.
My abiding memory of this tranquil haven was when, as a tiny tot, number three son one winter's day pulled me into the bedroom
where he had laid out my summer frock and sun hat.
It was his way of telling me "take me to the park".
As for appropriate dress for the Pocket Park? Crash helmet, knee and elbow pads and take your own toys.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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