Following the announcement of a new design for the playground in Ilkley’s Riverside Park, playground supplier Kompan have already begun work on phase 1 of the renovation.
Bradford Metropolitan District Council have committed £150,000 for this phase of the work, to replace and refurbish the majority of the playground equipment.
Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks are now fundraising to add a giant rope swing and a fantastic new climbing structure to the design, to replace the existing tall slide and climbing net in the playground.
The new ‘WharfeWave’ rope swing and the ‘Ilkley Moor Climb’ tower will offer more varied play opportunities for older children, which the playground currently lacks.
Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks are inviting sponsors, individuals, schools and local groups to contribute to this exciting new development in the park. They are looking to raise £90,000 to cover phase 2 and 3 of the works, including the WharfeWave swing and Ilkley Moor Climb tower.
Sponsors can expect several benefits such as logos on permanent signage at the playground, social media acknowledgements, media coverage, and for contributions over £5,000 you will be part of the ribbon-cutting event when the new playground is completed later this year.
Pauline Munro, Deputy Chair of the Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks group commented; “In an overly scheduled and busy world that is dominated by media and screen time, children need to play in safe space that challenges them as they grow. Play is a dynamic, active and integral part of children’s growth and development, and is the foundation for all learning in our lives. With the work underway on phase 1 of the renovations we have an opportunity to carry that momentum forward to make Ilkley playground a really fantastic play space.”
The visuals of the proposed new equipment show what they will add to the space. With its massive rope bar, the new ‘WharfeWave’ Pendulum Swing takes the thrilling, fun-filled experience of swinging to a whole new level. The oblong rope bar encourages children to swing together and socialise. The more children on the rope bar, the faster the pace and the more exciting it gets!
The new ‘Ilkley Moor Climb’ tower will stand 6 meters tall and will be a huge play attraction to Ilkley’s Riverside Park. It will offer a wide variety of play activities spanning tall climbing ladders, sturdy play shell climbing walls, twisted nets, bouncy rope climbers and a slide. The design ensures layered play that appeals to all levels of users. Its impressive appearance aside, the new climbing tower will have meeting points and activities for all, thanks to its transparency in design.
Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks are also looking for donations towards bespoke entrance arches for the play area, to give it a real wow-factor. The play area is also desperately in need of new benches and seating around the playground for picnics and play-time breaks. If you are able to help with donations of materials, skills or funding please get in touch with them.
As part of the work, 12 new trees will be planted on the south and west side of the playground, helping to improve the environment, offer shade for visitors and habitat for wildlife, and reduce the wind through the playground on blustery days. The alder, birch and cherry trees will be a lovely feature of the park for years to come and you can sponsor a tree for £150 per tree.
If you would like to contact Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks to contribute to the fundraising initiative, you’ll find them at the Ilkley Real Food Market on Sunday 6th March.
For more details visit https://www.friends-of-ilkley-riverside-parks.com to download a sponsorship pack, or email foirp2@gmail.com and one of the team will get back to you.
Individuals can also donate via JustGiving at www.justgiving.com/foirpuk or by text (max £20 donation, send the word PARKS to 70085) you’ll find full details on the ‘donations’ page of the Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks website.
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