PICTURES: Success as Highland parents and children breathe new life into Beauly play park, thanks to Aird and Loch Ness local councillors
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A children's area in Beauly, at Orchard Park, has been brought back into use, thanks to the determination of the local community.
Thanks to parents and local councillors, the play park now has new swings, and the community are looking for new ways of making the space its own.
Highland councillor David Fraser, Aird and Loch Ness praised the group, saying: "The community have transformed what was quite a tired play park into a really fun community garden and play park."
He explained that Highland Council wards have a special £100,000 Place Based Investment Fund this year and for Aird and Loch Ness, it was agreed that the expenditure would be allocated as playparks £20,000, paths and trails £30,000, cycle networks £15,000 and community-led proposals £35,000.
"Following the safety inspections early in 2021 a number of playparks had to be closed and unsafe equipment removed. One of the parks really badly affected was Orchard park in Beauly where the swings and other equipment was removed," he continued.
"We arranged for the area to be made safe and from the ward budget we have agreed to replace the swings.".
He continued: "The local community led by Angela Blake and others are now working on the plans to upgrade the area and install extra equipment with a great mix of play equipment and community garden.
"I am also delighted that we are managing to reinstate play equipment at a number of other sites around the Ward, Orchard Park, Drumnadrochit and Kiltarlity are done, and the council team will be replacing equipment at Kirkhill and Cannich in the coming weeks.
"This last two years has really brought home the importance of our community spaces and play areas.
"Council funding is always very limited and I really believe the future of our parks lies in community involvement and engagement as we have seen at Orchard Park.
"This was a park at real danger of being closed and it is developing into a brilliant community asset full of life and laughter.
"Its situation on the edge of the fields is also very special, on my last visit the children were playing in the park whilst a Red Kite hovered above the field next to them."
Ms Blake, who helped secure the funding for the community, said: "We have so far grown strawberries, planted three apple trees, runner beans and sweet peas on our tunnel canes, numerous herbs, and pumpkins.
"The children are really are enjoying planting out there and we have a lot of plans for next spring/summer."
She added: "It has even got them tasting new foods!"
