I had this press release from the Walsall Council media control bunker drawn to my attention today, (Thanks, Edditer!) so I thought I’d share it with you readers. It’s good to see money being spent of facilities for kids in the area once again – we’ve now got a shiny new playground on land off Whitehorse Road, a great skatepark upgrade in Walsall Wood, and this looks set to be a fine project, too. Let’s hope it’s being executed better than the mess that was made of a similar project in The Butts recently…

Walsall Council  PR 5530    25/10/2010    [For Immediate Release]

Boost for Brownhills youngsters with park improvements

A package of improvements at Bradbury Park in Brownhills will be completed by Christmas with the construction of a new multi-use games area boasting football, basketball and cricket facilities.

The new games area will cost just under £65,000 and funding has come from Groundwork UK and the Big Lottery Fund.

Its all weather surface will offer fixed football, basketball and cricket facilities and a new footpath will also be constructed linking the multi-use games area to the wider footpath network around the park.

The project will also include tree planting to enhance the park and improve the overall biodiversity of the area.

Bradbury Park, in Furst Street, came into existence back in 1954 as a result of Ogley Hay Working Mens Club selling land to the then Brownhills Urban District Council.

There is an active Friends of Bradbury Park group which works hard to promote the park and encourage its development. Improvements were started in 2000, driven forward by the community’s wishes for more youth facilities in the area.

Councillor Anthony Harris, Walsall Council cabinet member for leisure and culture, said: “Local schools, clubs and residents have all expressed an interest in using the multi-use games area and we are delighted that we have been able to secure funding to provide such a facility.

“Bradbury Park is well supported by its committed Friends group and the community and hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

“This new games area is expected to be completed and opened for use by Christmas – weather permitting – and will bring to a close a programme of improvements to the park over the last decade which can be enjoyed by the whole community. I look forward to this latest addition being a success and enabling even more people to enjoy the park in the future.”

Jackie Plant MBE, secretary of the Friends of Bradbury Park added: “It’s really exciting news.

“I hope it will encourage children to play football in the new play area rather than on the street as  they will be safer and cleaner. It’s the sort of thing they have been asking for and we’re all delighted.”

Community Spaces has granted £49, 953 and Cleansing Services Group has granted £15,000.