The first stage of the new “destination” play park with accessible facilities in Fareham Park will soon be open to children with a grand opening in the spring.

The first phase of Fareham Borough Council’s vision for redeveloping leisure and recreational facilities with and for the Fareham Park community is nearly finished. 

The play area, multi-use social area, and first wheelchair-accessible sea-saw in the borough are on track to be open by February half term, the leisure and community scrutiny panel heard on Tuesday (February 4)earlier this week.

There will be a wait for better weather in the spring to finish off jobs that include painting the running track, line markings inside the multi-use games area, landscaping, fencing and pathways.

Committee chair Councillor Frair Burgess (Con, Hook-with-Warsash) said at the meeting: “Wow, this is an excellent facility. A go-to play area for all the different ages with elements for disabled children.”

This first phase has been paid for by a £700,000 UK shared prosperity fund grant that needed to be spent by March 2025.

The “destination” play area includes some of the existing equipment while adding new equipment and making it as big as possible, accessible for all ages and abilities, said council officer Emma Bowler. 

The multi-use play area includes swings, slides, play panels, and inclusive equipment for children with disabilities. The play area has been designed level and fully accessible from the carpark by pathways for children in buggies to children in wheelchairs, said the council officer.

The multi-use social area for older children includes a table tennis table, a ninja warrior fitness tail, and creative seating in safe spaces to hang out in with the running track coming in the spring, said the council officer. 

Praising the project, Councillor Susan Bayford (Con, Locks Heath) said “you have done wonders” but asked the council officer about the lack of an accessible swing. 

The fear of potential vandalism for the currently unmonitored Fareham Park prevents the installation of a swing as they are expensive, the meeting heard. There is a swing at Holly Hill Park because there is CCTV, said Mrs Bowler.

Elsewhere on the site have been football pitch improvements, moving the football goals, and pitch drainage. A mound was removed making space for the site of the community centre. There will be benches and bins and car park improvements to come once the contractors have left. 

The old play areas will also be removed by the spring ahead of the official opening of the whole site.

Mrs Bowler said playground designers Eibe donated two electronic tablets to Henry Court College and St Columba School, along with £200 to charity Hampshire Food Revolution, 300 trees for planting and will also support the official opening when it happens.

Phase two of the project is waiting for the outcome of the outline planning application being decided on February 14 by planning officers. If this is approved, work will start on designs and detailed plans for how the community centre will look for the reserved matters planning application. 

The decision about what will happen to Henry Court Community College and how it affects this project’s plans hangs in the balance after the results of a second public consultation.