Councillor Owen Roe, leader of Abbots Langley Parish Council officially opened a brand new play area at Primrose Hill, Kings Langley which includes some of the latest in innovative and environmentally friendly play products.
They say every cloud has a silver lining, and while the closing of the Ovaltine factory in Abbots Langley was a loss, the development of the site resulted in substantial funding being available for the benefit of the local community.
Play facilities for young people in the parish were very dated and the equipment was badly in need of refurbishment. The original objective was to provide a play area for older children, but this additional funding gave the Parish Council a great opportunity to provide a more inclusive site that would be suitable for children of all ages and abilities, and enable them to play together.
Children from Kings Langley School were invited to take part in the planning process and made a number of suggestions about the equipment they would like. Of the final designs tendered, the scheme submitted by Watford-based Monster Play Systems had the greatest appeal for the Parish Council. It included some of the innovative equipment from Monster Play’s EarlyWorks and BigToys range. Spinners, springers and safe but challenging climbing frames are ideally suited for younger children while the Rock ‘n Cross which combines a multi-rider see-saw with a dynamic overhead traverse and the physically testing Sky Game challenge the skills of the older children.
Designed to be modern and stimulating, BigToys equipment is manufactured with the one of the highest recycled material contents available in playgrounds today which is in line with the Council’s principles of maximising the use of renewable resources. Posts are manufactured from recycled steel, and each platform is made from 1050 recycled plastic milk bottles. Special wet pour safety rubber surfacing covers the play area and provides a gentle landing for any youngster who might fall from the new equipment.
Since completion in June the play area has been open to the public and has been a great success with the community. One delighted mum commented that the new play area at Primrose Hill is the best in the area and has become so popular that people from outside the parish now bring their children to play there.
“It is always full to capacity with children playing.” commented Clerk to the Council, Mrs Janice Dawes. “It provides a fantastic meeting place for many members of the community, from parent with babies and toddlers to young teenagers. I think actions speak louder than words, and to see it so well used says everything.”
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Date 23 August 2007
Editor’s Notes
High resolution photographs available on request
More about Monster Play Systems Ltd
Monster Play Systems is one of the UK’s fastest growing and most innovative provider of children’s play equipment, youth shelters, skate parks and ball courts. The innovative ‘BigToys’ range introduced in 2005, is made from 100% recycled materials, and gives BigToys one of the highest percentages of recycled content available in play equipment today. Their modern YS range of youth shelters are designed to withstand heavy use, are vandal resistant and have solar powered lighting and radios as optional extras.
The company has steadily built up a reputation not only for quality products but also for the highest levels of customer service. This philosophy together with the challenge to provide a safe, positive play experience that is also fun, exciting and developmentally appropriate has resulted in Monster Play Systems becoming the UK’s fastest growing and most innovative provider of children’s play equipment.
Contact details
Marco Boi, Sales and Marketing Manager, Monster Play Systems
Tel: 01923 811591 e-mail: marco.boi@monsterplay.co.uk
Colin Caldicott, Ultimedia PR
Tel: 01767 601470 e-mail:
