Summer of fun will be child’s play in the Colne Valley Park

Local youngsters have a summer of fun to look forward to after the official opening of a long-awaited children’s playground at Denham Country Park.

The play area, which includes a sandpit, monkey bars, a tunnel and swings, has been designed to reflect the natural surroundings, and was made possible with the help of a £100,000 grant from Grundon Waste Management.

Pupils from Denham Green E-ACT Primary Academy joined the celebrations on Friday (July 1) as Kirsti Santer from Grundon’s marketing team officially cut the ribbon to declare the playground open.

The development was managed by environmental charity Groundwork South and Deborah Valman, project manager said: “The Park is such a beautiful area for everyone to enjoy and although we know families love coming here, they also told us that they wanted a playground area for their children.

“Thanks to support from Grundon through its Landfill Communities Fund, we’re absolutely thrilled that this project is now open and we hope youngsters will enjoy hours of fun and games for years to come.”

Debbie also thanked Bucks Country Parks for allowing the playground to be built and for taking over its future maintenance, while Groundwork was thanked for making it happen.

Among those also present were representatives from Denham Parish Council, including Chairman Marilyn Heath, who said they were very pleased and impressed to see the playground.

Designed to be used by children up to age nine, the play area also has features for those who are less able. In a nod to the area’s quarrying heritage, the sandpit has been shaped like a cargo boat, while some of the climbing logs come from nearby Black Park, and the emphasis has been on keeping a very rustic look and feel.

Anthony Foxlee-Brown, Grundon’s marketing & communications manager, said: “This is an excellent initiative and I’m sure it will become very popular with children who want to burn off some extra energy this summer.

“It’s great to see the way the play area blends in with the local countryside and we’re delighted to have been able to fund the work. We are committed to supporting the communities in and around our operations and what better way to do so than to help youngsters get outside and enjoy fresh air and the natural beauty of this fabulous park.”

To encourage families to explore their surroundings, the funding has also been used to develop a new nature trail, complete with waymarker posts featuring images of birds and animals so children can try their hand at brass rubbing. Further money has also been used to put a new roof on the Visitor Centre’s veranda.

With additional funding from the Heathrow Community Fund and Heart of Bucks, work has been going on to improve facilities at the Colne Valley Park Visitor Centre, including the veranda area, café, toilet facilities and information displays.

Grundon is an ongoing supporter of Colne Valley Park through the Landfill Communities Fund, which helps benefit the lives of people who live close to landfill sites by awarding grants for environmental, heritage and community projects.