Play equipment returns to Sunderland park five years after it was vandalised
Play equipment is returning to a Sunderland park five years after the previous equipment was removed due to vandalism.
Residents and local councillors are celebrating the installation of a new playground in Blackie Park in Ford Estate, which is due to open on Wednesday this week.
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The new playground has been installed using Section 106 funding given to Gentoo who own Blackie Park.
Local Lib Dem city councillor Steve Donkin, alongside colleagues Martin Haswell and Julia Potts, had been pushing Gentoo to get the playground installed after missing their original planned install date of Winter 2024.
The new play park is now due to open on Wednesday 25 February.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat councillor for Pallion and Ford Estate Steve Donkin said:“This new playground being installed is fantastic news for residents in Ford Estate.
“The old playground was very popular and it was a real blow to the area when it had to be removed following a spate of vandalism. Now that we finally have this new playground available for the community I am sure it will be busy and much loved by local families day in day out.”
Ford Estate resident Emma Neale, who is also Chair of the Communities Together Sunderland West residents association, said: “It’s been a long road to get what we needed for our community, by communicating with families over social media and in person to ask what they wanted.
“They all asked for something that would be accessible for all and long lasting. We started consulting with Gentoo and Sunderland Council to make sure we achieved those goals.”