Lottery boost for Hart’s teens

TEENAGERS throughout Hart will benefit from a £200,000 lottery grant to Hart District Council that has just been announced.

Half of the cash will go towards a big adventure play park in the Monteagle Open Spaces at Yateley.

The aim is to provide a play space of their own for youngsters aged 11-16 “where they can hang out but also engage in physical activity.”

The remainder of the money is divided between nine adventure play zones across the district. These will include the development of a skate and BMX park, the provision of “bouldering walls” and the installation of adventurous play equipment.

They are being developed with the parish councils at Hook, Odiham, South Warnborough, Eversley, Hartley Wintney, Crookham Village, Long Sutton and Blackwater and Hawley as well as the Friends of Oakley Park in Fleet.

Around 18,000 youngsters will benefit from the schemes, which should be completed within the next 12 months. Preparation work begins in February.

The aim is also to allow disabled children to be able to join in mainstream play activities.

Cllr Paul Einchcomb, who holds the Hart Portfolio for Leisure and Recreation, said: “This is fantastic news. I am absolutely delighted that we have succeeded in obtaining this funding.

“It means that we can move forward, working with our colleagues in providing adventurous play opportunities for the 11-16s. When putting together this bid  we discovered that ‘hanging out’ was a most popular pastime. Providing something to play on at the same time will encourage physical activity.

“I would like to thank Carl Westby, Hart’s Head of Leisure, who, alongside our consultants Strategic Leisure, was responsible for putting this successful bid together.”