News / Kingsdown
People power helps get a new playground for High Kingsdown
More than five years ago, High Kingsdown resident Karen Sillence decided to see if she could do anything to improve the playground on the middle of the estate.
Known to many children as the ‘soldier playground’ because of its small red-uniformed metal soldiers – to remember when this area was a barracks – Karen described it as “looking a bit run-down, but it was great. I felt I wanted to do something abut it.”
Many people would have given up as improvement works to the playground were passed around a soon-to-be-abolished Neighbourhood Partnership, departing council officers and a councillor who suddenly no longer represented Kingsdown following a redrawing of ward boundaries.
is needed now More than ever
But Karen persevered and on Saturday the brand new playground, still retaining a few of its famous soldiers, will be officially reopened by Bristol lord mayor Cleo Lake, with various entertainers including a juggler and an accordionist putting on a show for the crowds.
Children playing in the new High Kingsdown playground
“It was a long time saying, ‘what about us?'” recalled Karen as her son swung on the new monkey bars on a recent afternoon after school.
Money eventually came for the playground project thanks to the developers of the student accomodation built on the site of the former King’s Arms pub on nearby Little Paul Street, as part of a sum paid to the local authority known as a Section 106 agreement.
A new charity for the area has also been set up, with volunteers tending to the new grass and hedges planted around the edges of the playground, which has been designed by Bristol landscape architect Alex Fraser of AFLA.
“Because the homes here don’t have front gardens, you can live next door to each other but not know your neighbours,” Karen said.
“I’m really happy with our new playground. It’s fantastic and it’s well worth the wait.”
High Kingsdown Community Association are hosting a brunch at the playground to welcome students and new residents to the area on Saturday, October 13 from 11am to 2pm. Lord mayor Cleo Lake will be officially opening the playground at 11am and cake competition judging will take place at 1pm.
An old soldier standing guard at the new playground
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
