Brushfield Park is a children's play area and green space situated within a housing estate to the west of Chesterfield, built in the mid 1980's. Seeing the park locked for the first time in over 30 years only heightened the true state of its disrepair and has encouraged us (the local community) to take steps to revitalise such a much-loved space.
After contacting our CBC Green Space officer, we found that the council have no plans in their budget to carry out necessary repairs in the foreseeable future, yet the council are keen for the community to adopt the parks and green spaces starting a process of fund-raising, awareness and accountability.
We have formalised the group and together we are trying to raise funds that will contribute towards the cost of replacing the current play equipment by holding events for local residents to participate in.
Our ideas for the park include:
Making the play equipment accessible for all abilities.
Ensuring the park is safe to use with well-maintained surfacing and equipment.
Creating a fun, enjoyable place for local children and friends to visit.
making the green space a hub for all ages.
Improving the wildlife and environmental offering, providing bat and bird boxes.
Encouraging interest with the older residents to include their involvement using notice boards and seating areas for them to socialise.
looking at what educational play equipment the park can incorporate, numbers etc...
Providing more exciting, modern and stimulating activities and play equipment.
Bedding plants to involve local people to come together in the community.
We know that green-spaces play a massive part in positive mental health and wellbeing which is why we believe this recreational area could give the children the opportunity to enjoy, learn and flourish with their friends and make a difference to the whole community.
Our local MP Toby Perkins, Cllr Ed Fordham and Cllr Emily Coy have also come on board, along with Holme Hall School showing their support with fabulous drawings of the parks they would like to see.
Please log onto our Facebook account to view all our latest updates from photos of the current park, to meetings and decorating stones. We are trying our best to generate people's interest and involvement for future events.
Friends of Brushfield Park are reaching out to our local businesses to help support us with donations, gifts or sponsorships of events. This will enable us, the community, to complete a brand-new play area for the children.
To make a donation go to Friends of Brushfield Park Just Giving Page.
Words & Images: Friends of Brushfield Park