Posted on: Thursday 16 July 2020
Following the recent Welsh Minister’s announcements regarding children’s play areas, Torfaen County Borough Council is working hard to make these areas safe and ready for children.
Grass cutting has to take place in many play areas, play equipment has to be checked and safety signage needs to be erected. This means we will open as many as we can as soon as possible, but most are unlikely to be open before 3 August.
Councillor Mandy Owen, executive member for the environment, said: “We are preparing our children play areas as fast as we can because we know that children are looking forward to playing on the equipment again.
“However, safety is our top priority, so we don’t want to rush the opening of any play areas before they have all been inspected, and the grass has been cut. Long grass may contain dog faeces and broken glass, which is why we are urging people to wait a little longer before using play equipment in areas where there is long grass.
“We know social distancing will be difficult in play areas, so we are encouraging parents to be prepared when they visit them. Make sure you always have antibacterial wipes or hand sanitiser with you. Sanitising before and after using play equipment will help reduce the spread of Coronavirus, and washing hands when children get home will also help.
“We hope the children of Torfaen are looking forward to being out in play areas again. The social and health benefits of outdoor play are well recognised, and we are looking forward to seeing their happy faces when playing on the equipment again.”