New kids play park faces closure
Stuart Laundy • Published 19 Jun 2012 09:30
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LAUDER'S new £182,000 children's Diamond Jubilee Play Park - which was officially opened just last week - will have to be temporarily closed while 'issues of workmanship' are addressed.
Scottish Borders Council (SBC) leader David Parker told members of Lauderdale Community Council on Monday that problems were detected with the wetpour - the process of applying rubber granules to a surface to make it safer - which had been laid at the play park.
As community council members reviewed progress with the play park and its associated £500,000 sports pavilion, they simply thought the wrong colour paint had been used, but were quite happy to leave things as they were. However, Councillor Parker said the situation was more serious.
"There are issues with the wetpour and issues of workmanship. The resins have bleached and will continue to discolour. There will come a point in the future when we will have to close the park for a period of time. There will have to be a discussion with the contractor about this and we have only just begun to discuss what the solution is with the contractor."
Councillor Parker assured community council members that children's safety wasn't at risk and suggested the park remains open throughout the summer holidays but closes in September for the problems to be addressed. "The play park is perfectly safe, an organisation independent of the council has given it a clean bill of health," he added.
Community council vice-chairwoman Gaye Colqhuhoun said if the long-term future of the play park was going to be affected by problems with the wetpour, there was no alternative but to get the matter resolved.
Councillor Parker told members that SBC would withhold payment for the wetpour until all issues had been resolved.
Community council chairman Alistair Smith had earlier told the meeting that the opening of the play park had been the highlight of a packed programme of events in and around Lauder to mark the queen's jubilee.
"The response from the people of Lauder to the jubilee events was fantastic. I have heard no complaints and it was a really positive weekend - a great event.
"The highlight was definitely the opening of the play park and seeing all the kids running around," he said.
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