Revamped playground reopens in Storrington

Hundreds of excited children flocked to the recreation ground in Spierbridge Road, Storrington ahead of the grand opening at 4pm this afternoon (Tuesday, June 22).

The playground features brand new equipment for toddlers and a junior skate park.

The work took approximately six weeks to complete and was funded by Storrington and Sullington Parish Council.

Chairman of the parish council Anna Worthington-Leese spoke to parents and children before cutting the ribbon to formally open the new attraction.

She said: “Storrington has been crying out for a revamped playground for almost twenty years and we are so pleased to be able to open this today.

“We hope the children will enjoy and look after it so that others can enjoy it too.”

The revamped playground appeals to children of all ages with the new skate park aimed at children aged 13 and over.

For students Noah, Luke, Louis and George, 16, and Oli, 15, the opening of the new playground has come at the perfect time as this week they completed their GCSE’s.

Louis said: “We have been asking for this playground for the last three years.

“It gives us somewhere to go and hang out.

“We can come down here and enjoy it in our summer off.”

Storrington and Sullington Parish Council received a £4,000 donation from Tesco as part of their Bags of Help Scheme.

Parish clerk Tracey Euesden said: “We were so thankful to Tesco for their donation. This massively helped us with the cost and we were so pleased to have been chosen.
“We will get a real sense of how pleased people are about it in the coming weeks but the reaction has been mostly positive and all the children here seem to be having a great time.”

Becky Gilligan, a mother from Storrington, says the playground was needed as the village gets ‘bigger every year’.

She said: “I have lived here for thirty years and this playground has been a long time waiting.

“I have three boys – aged 13, eight and six – who have been waiting weeks to come down here.
“They are most excited about the skate park because they love that type of thing.”

Michelle Murray – a mother of two from Storrington – added: “This playground was much needed. The last one was slightly outdated and now this one has an area for the younger children and of course the skate park.

“I think it looks really nice.”

As well as the reopening of the playground, there was plenty to keep the children entertained including tea cup rides, bouncy castles and face painting.