Lochwinnoch Recreation Park update – in addition to the work that has been completed – the planned mural has been painted on the wall facing onto the play area. Go have a look.
Installation of the teen shelter is still in progress, so more to come.
Project background
In late 2020, LCDT took on the grassroots campaign to raise money to renovate our local park. A committee of our members have worked very hard on this project, conducting surveys to discover what the community wanted from a park, liaising with equipment suppliers to create designs and budgets for a fully upgraded play park, an intergenerational seating area and a space for teenagers, with local media to raise awareness, and with council representatives to find out what might be possible on the site itself.
• We successfully applied to two major Renfrewshire Council funds, winning £30,000 from the Villages Investment Fund and £50,000 from the Green Spaces fund; we also oversaw the Community Olympics event, which saw teams of villagers competing in sponsored events throughout April and raised almost £10,000 towards the renovation.
• Because of the success of the project, the level of community engagement and the release of new Scottish Government funds towards play park development, Renfrewshire Council have agreed not only to make up the rest of the £150,000 needed for the play park, but also to make our park one of the first spaces they regenerate. Work should be completed in summer 2022.
• Our committee are continuing to raise funds for an intergenerational seating area, as well as separate area for teenagers. Working with a group of 12-14 year olds we applied successfully to the Celebrating Renfrewshire (Villages) fund for £2700 towards the latter project; the girls made a TikTok video for their application, informed by the Make Space For Girls campaign which suggests ways of making public spaces more accessible to teenage girls.