PLANS to transform three local play parks have moved a step closer after Argyll and Bute Council confirmed £100,000 of funding for improvements across Dunoon and Sandbank.
The announcement follows more than 18 months of consultation and planning, with work now expected to move to the tender stage.
West Bay, (Glen Morag) will receive £40,000, Sandbank £35,000 and the skatepark in Ardenslate will get £25,000.
The money comes from a share of £938,000 of specific Scottish Government funding for play park works, which has been given to Argyll and Bute Council, which will allow for old equipment to be removed, some refurbished and some replaced.
At West Bay, a new wheelchair-accessible roundabout will be installed alongside other inclusive play equipment, reflecting feedback gathered during a public consultation.
An additional £10,000 from Sandbank Community Trust, together with a further £5,000 expected from another funding source, could allow a signature play feature to be installed as the centrepiece of the Sandbank park.
Dunoon Community Council, (DCC), has been involved in discussions with the local authority since March 2024, following the announcement of £40,000 in Scottish Government funding for improvements to the West Bay play park.
As part of the consultation process, the community council gathered residents’ views on the type of equipment they wanted to see installed. Because the funding was specifically aimed at improving accessibility, any new play equipment had to be inclusive for children with disabilities.
A spokesperson for DCC explained: “The clear preference from our survey was for a wheelchair-accessible roundabout, an inclusive see-saw and a wheelchair-accessible swing.”
The survey findings were passed to the council officer leading the project, while DCC also contributed £1,100 towards the purchase of two picnic benches for parents, carers and families using the play park.
The community council said it has been advised that the funding will also pay for two new pieces of inclusive play equipment, repairs to the existing railings and entrance gate, and replacement safety surfacing beneath the equipment.
While acknowledging residents’ frustration at the time the project is taking to get underway, DCC explained there are only a limited number of specialist contractors able to supply and install inclusive play equipment.
They added: “As this funding forms part of a Scottish Government programme to improve around 200 play parks across Scotland, demand for these specialist contractors is understandably high, and this may have an impact on timescales.
“Dunoon Community Council welcomes this investment in the West Bay play park and looks forward to seeing the project completed, providing a more inclusive and enjoyable facility for local children and families.”
With funding now locked in the local authority will go to tender for a contractor to supply and fit the equipment for the two play parks. Plans for the skatepark’s refurbishment will be made later.
Despite the funding announcement, some local residents have questioned why it has taken almost 18 months to reach this stage.
Many of the play park swings, slides and other equipment have been lying dormant and broken for some time and as parents have highlighted, yet another summer has come and gone with kids missing out on the full use of the parks.
When asked how long the tender process will take and when the work will begin on the parks, an Argyll and Bute spokesperson said: “The work will be carried out as soon as possible and will be dependent on the results of the tender process.”
Councillor John Armour, Policy Lead for Roads, Transport and Amenity Services, said: “I’m really pleased to see the preparations begin for the play park refurbishments, which I know will be welcomed by local families.
“The input from the community throughout the consultation and commissioning processes shows just how important the wellbeing of the younger members of town is. What we will have, very soon, are places where they can meet up with their friends, have fun on new equipment and enjoy Dunoon’s good, fresh air.”
