Kidbrooke families celebrate opening of new play space

BY TOBY PORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

Hundreds of happy children – and adults – celebrated the opening of a new play space on Saturday, June 8.

They were the first to have a go clambering, jumping, swinging and sliding through the park at Kidbrooke Village.

Families enjoyed craft sessions. And they learned about the birds, mammals, amphibians and insects of Cator Park – and how the London Wildlife Trust is ‘rewilding’ the green space to increase biodiversity there by encouraging animals to make their home among the plantlife.

The new play space was developed in collaboration with award-winning Apes Adventure Playground It was built by engineers who designed the Olympic Park Playground, and is open to everyone, every day of the week.

It has stepping stones designed by local children dotted around the park, alongside brass rubbings as part of an educational ecology trail.

Councillor David Gardner, deputy leader of Greenwich council, and Cllr Mick Hayes, Mayor of Greenwich, were on hand to formally open the new park, alongside Tony Pidgley, chairman of Berkeley Group, and David Mooney, director of development at London Wildlife Trust.

Karl Whiteman, divisional managing director of Berkeley East Thames, said: “Children are our future and they need a place to play, have fun and burn off some energy, so it was wonderful to see so many of them enjoying themselves when it opened.

“The beautiful open space of Cator Park that surrounds it really does give people a chance to get close to nature – being able to deliver spaces like this that can be enjoyed for years to come is a real privilege and a pleasure.”