I popped over to Bearpark today for a special occasion. After 4 years of working to get new play facilities for the village with my fellow county councillor it was great today to see the diggers in starting work on the new facilities which will include a new play area, wheeled sports facility/skate park, kickabout area and outdoor gym as well as improvements to a 200m long footpath.

The facility is also going to be great for the school children at Bearpark Primary School who will be able to use the facilities at luchtimes and after school.

It has taken a long time to sort this out with so many attempts to stop us from bringing this project to fruition. I ensured a few weeks ago that £50,000 we had secured from the Council from planning did not disappear down a blackhole after it appeared to “not exist” anymore, so thankfully with all the funding secured we will now have a scheme to be proud of.

The overall work will take several months to complete with the play facilities and gym equipment going in first followed by the wheeled sports facility.

With more new play facilities set to be installed in Witton Gilbert following the outdoor gym being added earlier in the year, and the King george’s field upgrade at Framwellgate Moor now complete, this means that the promise made to improve facilities by the Lib Dems in our area is well on its way despite the economic down turn and various attempts to stop us from achieving our promise.

Newton Hall also had new facilities and I am working on two more schemes in the area to make sure we have the best facilities possible.