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Fun times back for youngsters in Banbury play areas
01/07/2020
The Town Council is to allow access to it’s play areas from this Saturday
Youngsters in Banbury will be able to enjoy fun times in the town’s play areas once again from this Saturday. Banbury Town Council has announced their play areas will start re-opening from the weekend after the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions which were announced by the government last week.
The openings will be phased over a number of days due to the amount of work involved with People’s Park and Spiceball Park play areas the first to open. Others will follow soon afterwards. Before a play area can be opened the equipment has to be checked to make sure it is in good order. Signs will also be erected to ensure the safety of users.
Now, when using the play areas parents, guardians and carers must be aware of the new government guidelines that apply to all play areas; the responsibility for protecting against coronavirus will be in their hands.
Councillor Colin Clarke, chairman of the council’s general services committee, said: “Social distancing and cleansing are the key factors. But with so many play areas it is impossible for the council to oversee all of them all of the time. People must act responsibly.
“We are asking people to adhere to social distancing by not overcrowding the play areas. We’re saying that if a play area looks busy, go back later.
“Users will have to take their own cleansing and sanitising products and make sure children’s hands are clean and that the equipment is safe. The council can’t have someone on hand to clean every piece of equipment after a child has touched it – but parents can give it a wipe over before use.”
Cllr Clarke added: “I urge everyone to read the signs before using the play equipment and obey the instructions to make sure everyone is safe.
“The government guidelines make it clear that play area councils can only do what is reasonably practical to minimise the risk of catching coronavirus, and that it is impossible to eliminate the risk completely.
“The guidelines point out that people use play areas at their own risk.”
Banbury Town Council owns and manages the town’s 74 play areas. The public tennis courts in People’s Park will also open on the 4th. Both the play areas and the tennis courts have been officially closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam