A newly spruced up playground has been officially opened by Barnet Council in the latest stage of a popular urban park’s regeneration.
The expanded facility in Halliwick Recreation Ground, Muswell Hill, includes swings, somersault bars, picnic benches, an impressive tower with monkey bars, and a fun sensory dome for climbing on. It was unveiled by the Worshipful Mayor of Barnet, Cllr Danny Rich, in an afternoon of excitement and activity on Sunday 8 February.
The Mayor said: “It was great to see the joy in the children’s faces as they had fun with their friends. I find it very satisfying to watch the community come together in celebration of their children and young people. It’s important that we continue to fund green havens for our residents to visit and enjoy, whatever their age. Halliwick Recreation Ground is a great example of our work on this, and I hope people can enjoy it for many years to come.”
Martha Cotterill, aged 10, said: “I really like this playground, because it used to be a bit boring and really kid-ish, and now they’ve upgraded it loads. They have the big dome and swings that are really fun. There are things for all ages, and you can hang out with your friends in many different parts of the playground.”
Her friend Frances McNelly, aged 10, said: “I really like the dome, because it’s really fun to climb on – not such a square shape. When you think about it, they normally have swings and monkey bars – but this place is really different to all the other playgrounds. It’s much more fun than some of the other ones I’ve been to.”
The £275,000 playground will serve children aged from two to 14. It was funded with £150,000 from Barnet Council, £82,000 from the London Marathon Foundation, £25,000 from the CSDS Foundation and £18,600 from The National Lottery Community Fund. Additional funding for the project came from Cadent Gas and Affinity Water. The playground’s development was made possible after an extensive fundraising campaign by the Friends of Halliwick Rec.
Sarah Perman, Co-chair of the Friends of Halliwick Rec, said: “This new playground is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a community and its partners come together. We are very grateful to Barnet Council for their significant support, alongside the London Marathon Foundation, CSDS Foundation, the National Lottery Community Fund, Cadent and Affinity Water. They have helped create a space that truly serves our community and encourages children to stay active, healthy and outdoors.”
The project follows the opening of a new wetland area to help wildlife and reduce flooding in a council-funded Sustainable urban Drainage Scheme (SuDS) for the park. The system has redirected rainwater away from nearby roads and open spaces, where it could have threatened homes and traffic, into a striking new water feature.
The two tennis courts in Halliwick Recreation Ground have also been refurbished in a £1.3million borough-wide regeneration of tennis facilities – funded by Barnet Council and the Lawn Tennis Association.