“The Hippos” (Completed Project)
“The HIPPOS” (Completed Project)
The Hippos Play Area upgrading was “officially” opened at 4pm on Friday 23 September 2016.
LRA Chairman, Geoff Orange, together with Alan Carter (CEO of The Land Trust) and Jane Stanton (General Factory Manager at Greencore Foods) performed the “ribbon cut” to the overwhelming approval of all the children and adults present.
The LRA chairman said it had seemed to be a long time getting to this point (about 2 years) but hoped that with residents backing LRA would move on from strength to strength to provide other improvements throughout the estate.
The cost of the project was in the order of £52k with the major funding being awarded by WREN, from Landfill Tax.
Free sandwiches, cakes, tea, coffee and soft drinks were provided by Greencore, Pat Clark from Mullion Grove and Raj from the Local Pasture Lane Shop and were served up by volunteers from LRA.
As the formal event came to an end the children were chanting “thank you, thank you” as an endorsement of the upgraded play area. Well done to all concerned.
It is planned that the two remaining Hippos on site will be painted in the early part of October 2016 as part of a collaboration between LRA and New Horizons School.
LRA are indebted to many people and the organisations who financed and supported this large project along the way and took the time to attend the Opening Ceremony. As well as “the ribbon cutters”, LRA were joined by Mary Doyle (Landscape and Community Officer, The Land Trust) and Diane White (Warrington Borough Council Central Neighbourhoods Team Operations Manager).
LRA’s special thanks, for their letters of support in August/September 2015, go to Elm Tree Financial Services, New Horizons School, Cheshire Constabulary, Wendy Rydzkowski C Psychol, AFBPsS, Green Lane School Headteacher (Paul King), Christ Church C E Primary School Headteacher (Ian Williams), Wind in the Willows Nursery Fallowfield Grove Manager (Tracey Murray), Wasps Link Club, The Mayor of Warrington (Councillor Geoff Settle), The Warrington Spina Bifida Association (Mr S J Charlton), Friends of Longbarn Park (Jamie Gardner), Jane Miller JP and Lynn Colter-Howard JP. These letters played a major part in the process of obtaining the necessary permissions to go forward.
All in all, a very successful project, a fantastic new facility and a very successful, well supported launch. Longbarn can be proud of the revitalised Hippos.
A selection of comments (copied from Facebook) are shown below:
Congratulations on a great project in Longbarn. It’s wonderful the kids to finally have a safe area to play, plus wheelchair accessible. This means we don’t have to drive to Pennington Flash or Walton Gardens, just for our son to use the wheelchair accessible roundabout. Thanks to all LRA members who was involved in this project, you have done Longbarn proud.
Jane Erskine: We fully appreciate all the time and effort that the Longbarn Association has put into this project. Thank you to a great team of individuals that made this happen our estate and our community we are really proud of you.
Shell Giles: Aww we only got back from holiday yesterday early hours didn’t know it was the opening. My little girl 2 and boy 9 who always go as we live across on Anderson went on yesterday morming and absolute love it. Well done to everyone involved it’s amazing. Now to sort the one on the big park out lol xx
Raj Asani: Well done for all the effort put in by LRA and residents support. Next project is behind shop on the unused land of council and if the council ( supports the residents of LRA).