Press releases

29 Jan 2007

Play Area Work Heralds Historic Park's Restoration

The first phase of the £5m transformation of historic South Marine Park in South Tyneside is underway.

Heavy machinery has moved in to dig out the foundations for a new children's play area, which will spearhead the restoration of the Victorian park. This is being returned to its former grandeur, thanks to a £3.8 million grant from the Heritage Lottery (HLF) with £1.2 million support from South Tyneside Council and its partners.

The play area project is costing £250,000. Work began today (Monday, 29th January), and is expected to be completed after Easter. The play area will have two sections - one for toddlers, and the other for older children.

An exciting range of play equipment will be installed, including a water play feature for toddlers and variety of equipment for older children.

South Tyneside Council's Lead Member for Culture and Wellbeing, Councillor Jim Sewell, will be on hand to see the play area taking shape. He will be joined by councillors from Beacon and Bents Ward, children from nearby Marine Park and Hadrian Primary Schools and Ivor Crowther, Casework Manager of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Councillor Sewell said: "I am delighted that we are about to begin our much-anticipated transformation of South Marine Park, which is one of the jewels in the crown of our beautiful coastline.

"The regeneration of the park is central to our vision for the Foreshore and once complete is sure to attract many thousands of visitors. The installation of the play area is the first step towards achieving that vision.

"It will have traditional equipment alongside brilliant new play features, such as the Galaxy Electra - a spinning, twisting, climbing frame which sounds such fun that I'm tempted to give it a go myself!

"Safety is paramount, of course, with special ground surfacing and a fence, new seating and low-level planting. This is a really exciting time and we are all very grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for enabling us to undertake this work for the benefit of South Tyneside and all the people who live, work and visit here."

Keith Bartlett, Heritage Lottery Fund Regional Manager, said: "It's really exciting to see work starting to get underway to transform South Marine Park. 

"The children's play area is just one of the many changes that will make the park a real heritage asset for the community in South Shields. So many people have fond memories of this park and through its regeneration many future generations will be able to share in those good times."

South Marine Park was opened in 1886 and was a popular Victorian addition to South Tyneside's stunning natural coastline. The restoration project - which is due to start in October this year - includes work on returning the impressive upper terrace back to its original splendour so that visitors can once again promenade along it and take in the views across to the mouth of the Tyne beyond.

At the top of the park the waterfall will be repaired and replanted to make a special feature. New seating, to match the original seat designs, will be installed, together with new lighting, litterbins and new path surfacing throughout.

More than 400 new trees and 24,000 new shrubs and other plants will be planted and some of the Victorian flowerbeds will be reinstated.  The original plans and the park keeper's diary from 1886 will be restored and be placed on view along with many old photographs.

Some of the ornate gates and the original stone piers will be restored to replace the modern brick structures.

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