Summer wait for Summerhill playground upgrade

A MAJOR upgrade of Summerhill Playground is due to be carried out in the coming months but is unlikely to be completed until the end of the summer, it has emerged.

The playground, which is built on a site at Summerhill Community Centre that was leased to the local playground committee, was closed in January due to health and safety concerns with several pieces of playground equipment in need of repair or upgrade.

With the children of many of the parents on the committee grown up and a lack of volunteers willing to get involved, together with the need for upgrading of some of the equipment, the committee had looked to pass responsibility for the playground's maintenance to the council, and Meath County Council recently confirmed that it is to enter a lease arrangement to take over the management of the playground.

Following inspections, a major upgrade of the playground is to be carried out at a cost of over €100,000 and Meath County Council Director of Services Des Foley said it would "effectively be a new playground".

Tenders for the supply of the equipment have been received but as there is a six to eight week delivery on equipment once the order is placed and a further six week construction period for installation, it is unlikely that the playground will be open until the end of the summer.

Playground contractors' books are very full at the moment so it is expected it will be mid August before the playground can be installed but Mr Foley said if there is anyway they could look at speeding up delivery they would.

Mr Foley also outlined that there is the possibility of a second phase where they are looking at installing age-friendly outdoor exercise equipment installed on the site adjacent to the playground.