A “much less bleak” future for Angus playparks has been welcomed by Angus Council committee members.
Following a large public outcry over plans to remove equipment from 50 of the county’s 101 municipal play areas, councillors rubber-stamped a move to keep funding an additional 25.
Following a 1,000-response consultation and the receipt of a 2,273-name petition collected in three weeks, neighbourhood services committee councillors heard a deputation from a Forfar parent.
She said a redrawn document saving 75 sets of swings, climbing frames and seesaws is “the best we could hope for in this climate.”
Arlene Law spoke to councillors before discussion in the chamber.
“Last year I was so angered and disappointed by the proposed closures,” she said.
“It spurred me and others on to create a Facebook page which soon became our campaign basis.
“From my point of view these proposals are a great improvement on the previous plans to cut 50% of Angus parks.”
While no plans were in place to close the parks to children remaining in them, parents said stripping the play equipment would be akin to keeping a library open without books.
Local authority officials brought forward proposals to remove dated and unsafe equipment in October last year, in a move to save money for a dwindling budget.
Neighbourhood services committee councillors granted a stay of execution for almost 175 unsafe or out-of-date items across the county in February.
Neighbourhood services convener Donald Morrison said: “Though many children will always use a swing, chute or roundabout at their playpark, we need activities which feed a child’s imagination and also get their parents or guardians involved. That’s why we need to look at innovative play equipment in the future.”
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Courier.