Eynsham Parish Council remains aware that the on-going disruption at Dovehouse Close play area is disappointing for our residents. We appreciate your patience as we continue to work towards full restoration.
Following our Full Council meeting in January, we’d like to update the community on the current situation and next steps. We would also like to respond to some of the specific concerns that have been emailed to us.
Short term
There is some frustration with two large sections of the play area still being cordoned off. The areas around the smaller spinner and the new springer have been cordoned off to allow the grass to grow around them.
There have also been some questions about why the goals haven't been replaced. We need to allow the worn ground to recover before we can install the new goal sockets.
Considering the season, the grass will take a little while to grow but we are monitoring the area and will re-open as soon as we can.
The other areas that are cordoned off is due to the equipment within them having failed routine safety inspections. The extent of the closure reflects the condition of multiple pieces of equipment rather than a single issue. Much of the equipment is old and primarily constructed of wood, which has deteriorated over time.
Our staff have removed what they safely could themselves, but the remaining equipment within the cordoned areas requires specialist removal due to the engineering of the equipment itself.
Long term
Our Open Spaces Committee is overseeing the removal and replacement programme for the two main areas. This will cost approximately £35,000–£40,000, which the Parish Council doesn’t currently have. Until we have the funds in place, we can’t provide any timeline for complete restoration of the play area.
Currently, the Committee is exploring options for raising the money, with one potential option being a crowdfunding initiative. We would welcome support, ideas and suggestions from the community – please contact us via email on epc.comms@eynsham-pc.gov.uk.
We fully appreciate that this is not the answer our residents are seeking in terms of Dovehouse Close play area being fully restored. We can only apologise and express our own frustration at this situation. We hope, at least, the situation has been made clear and our residents recognise the challenges we are facing.
Eynsham is fortunate in having two other play areas and various open spaces, rare for such a small village. While these may not be ideal, they are alternatives that can be explored and enjoyed during this time.
We will continue to update residents on our progress via this website and our various communications channels.