PARENTS of a girl who has disabilities which mean she cannot walk have criticised Bromsgrove District Council for not making the play area near their home more accessible as part of the recent improvements.
Gillian Crosby-Read contacted the Standard about the issue amidst the current upgrades to park apparatus across the district.
She lives in Upland Grove with her wife Kate and her daughter Dakota, who is three and uses a walker for support.
They wrote to the council, detailing their concerns about the planned upgrade for Upland Grove Park and were in communication with Coun Rob Hunter and Coun Josh Robinson who have been supporting the family.
Mrs Crosby-Read said they never heard back from the council but the councillors said the suggested changes were unable to be made.
Mrs Crosby-Read said: “It is also apparent to us that no other parks in Bromsgrove are accessible and the newly generated parks – a great opportunity to enhance equity – is not being realised but instead they are installing parks for able-bodied kids primarily.”
She added she attended the consultation for the new park and was told they equipment was already ordered and that her daughter could play with a couple of things which was ‘adequate’.
“We live right next door to Upland Grove Park where she loves to play.
“Saying that it will be heartbreaking to tell her she can’t play there is an understatement.
“And listening to other kids enjoy the park from her bedroom which overlooks the park is just cruel.
“We feel we have been ignored and want to do everything we can to ensure our child and others like her get the opportunity to play, as any child should.”
Ruth Bamford, Bromsgrove District Council’s assistant director for planning, leisure and culture services, said: “We fully understand the family wanting even more out of the improvements the council is making to this play area.
“Play is so important, and we want to make sure our play areas are as attractive to as many children as possible.
“That’s why during our engagement on this new play area, we were delighted to make several accessibility adjustments based on specific local feedback.
“We’ve changed a new swing type, adapted the new bouncy animals to include back support and changed the new access too following input from residents.
“A change we have not so far been able to commit to is to the design of the larger of the two new slide structures.
“Whilst the smaller new slide for younger children has an inclusive step, with handrails, to have something similar on the larger slide on the bigger unit would require expanding this small play area.
“That would be a large additional investment over and above the improvements already being made here.
“It’s my view it would be most appropriate to focus any such additional spending on our larger main parks, which many more people can access and where there can be appropriate facilities like parking, toilets, cafes and so on.
“In fact, we’re currently exploring our options for more accessible play opportunities in our main parks as part of this large programme of improvements across the district.”
