THE toddler play area at Penleigh Park has now reopened after it was temporarily closed after the surface was torn apart during the recent half-term.
The damage could have cost Westbury Town Council £500 to repair but the council used a specialist repair kit which saved money and time by not having to contract the work out to a specialist.
The council announced on social media at the beginning of the month that the play area would be closed until further notice following “vandalism”. The damage saw strips of the play area surface being lifted, torn into pieces and then scattered around the site.
The surface was made from wet pour – small rubber particles that are mixed with a resin and laid like tarmac which acts as a cushion should an individual fall from a height, greatly reducing the risk of lasting injury.
Following these strips being torn from the play area, the site was deemed no longer safe for use by the public and the council temporarily closed the area.
“With the surface missing and the foundations of the swing set being exposed, the difficult decision to close the play area with immediate effect was made,” explained Andrew Thomas, the external services team leader at Westbury Town Council.
“The damage caused is relatively minor but, as it is a protective surface, immediate action had to be taken to ensure the safety of the play area. The external services team carried out repairs to the vandalised wet pour surface in Penleigh toddler park on Friday 16th June and we have now reopened it.”
