• Be social

Long awaited Kimberley Park play scheme opens

Falmouth Town Council and the Kimberley Park Association are very pleased to announce that the play project will be opening at 10:00am on the 22nd December 2012.

The current fencing on site will be removed on the afternoon of the 21st December. Following this the park will be closed off for the remainder of the day, ready for the initial opening of the play scheme on the 22nd.

Janey Davis on behalf of the Kimberley Park Association said:

“The Association is really excited about the gates to the new play area finally opening. The amount of effort and support that the community has given this project has been incredible. We believe this is a really special park, and the new play area will ensure that families can now relax and have fun in beautiful surroundings while their children explore the exciting new play equipment. Some really special features are the bespoke ‘mini-docks’ in the sand play area, and the challenging trim trail. There are further additions planned for the spring, when the three Automata will be installed in time for the Spring Party to celebrate the opening of the new play area. It will be great to see all the planting brought to life in the warmer weather as the plants become established.

We'd like to extend a big thank you to everyone that has been involved in and funded this project, Community Spaces Funding, Groundwork South, Falmouth Town Council, Cory Environmental Trust, Britvic, A&P , The Falmouth Town Marching Carnival, The Star & Garter, and everyone that got involved in any of our fund raising Events! It's great to see our ambitions realised, over four years ago I don't think any of us envisaged such an amazing outcome. We cannot wait to see children in there having fun.”

The project was designed by James M Brown, CMLI, Landscape Architect, who has worked closely with the project management team.

James said, "The aim was to create a play-space that was fun, interesting, engaging and attractive within an historic and beautiful park. The design references Falmouth’s nautical past and artistic character together with Cornwall’s myths and rugged landscape.

The play area combines natural materials such as wood, sand, and stone, with imaginative, timber play structures, bold planting, and curvaceous earth forms to provide a variety of experiences from active to contemplative.

Features include a spiral sensory trail, a serpentine pathway leading to a central compass with sculptures and mosaics, a miniature willow woodland, and a variety of climbing, balancing, swinging and sliding activities, with plenty of places to sit, meet and enjoy the park.

I am looking forward to seeing it being used and enjoyed by the community”.

Constructed by Earth Wrights Ltd from Buckfastleigh, specialists in bespoke schemes, the play elements have been predominantly built of wood and constructed on site.

Mike Jones from Earth Wrights said:

“ The playground caters for different types of play- lots of climbing, balancing, swinging, sliding and jumping; loose materials like sand, earth, leaves and twigs that kids can make things from; role play games in the tree house, hut and tower; and socialising in the hang-out nets and around the picnic tables. Play has been described as a 'behavioral kaleidoscope', and to enhance its flowing, scattered nature, we've connected many of the structures together into an organic web.”