Clean up at flooded Biggleswade play area will begin immediately after water recedes
Franklins Recreation Ground is temporarily closed after several inches of water collected there, partially covering the equipment and other furniture.
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Hide AdAn update on curent local projects was presented to a meeting of Biggleswade Town Council’s public land and open spaces committee.
Town councillor Michael North, who chairs the committee, said: “No doubt there’s a job to do at Franklins with a cleaning process, once the water disappears.”
BTC’s head of governance and strategic partnerships Karim Hosseini confirmed: “There absolutely will be once there’s a spell of dry weather. That’s what we’re focusing on, clearing that up and cleansing Franklins and other play areas.
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Hide Ad“Implementing all the new equipment at the Brunel Drive play area has finished, with the sub-surfacing in place. An inspection is planned for Monday, (October 7) which is booked in, and then it’s a case of allowing the grass to establish itself, essentially.”
Mayor Mark Foster explained: “The Brunel Drive work taking place gives us the opportunity to look at other areas as well, given we’ve done such a good job there.
“Personally I like black and the finish looks really good. Given the work on other areas in due course, it’s good we’ve got the bins and benches in this condition.”
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Hide AdTown clerk Peter Tarrant said: “We’re picking up a range of different furniture within the town council. We’re looking at the other playgrounds that are there as options and how we best move forward.”
Play equipment, benches and bins were partly submerged, after extensive flooding at Franklins Recreation Ground caused by heavy rainfall.
The play area has paths leading to Jordans Mill, which mainly follow the River Ivel and are also impassable.
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Hide AdCouncillor Foster asked: “The report mentions routine maintenance taking place at Franklins Receation Ground, which is a challenge at the moment, but is that the area to which you’re referring?”
BTC public realm manager Harry Henderson replied: “Franklins requires a little painting and tidying up, which will be part of the routine maintenance.
“We’ve taken delivery of the paint for the equipment after a lengthy process for specific pieces of these facilities in certain play areas to improve them.
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Hide Ad“That will be an ongoing process over the next few months. We’ll keep members updated with which project we’re doing and what has to be closed off. We’ll work around school terms, as this progresses.”
Mr Tarrant added: “We’ve invested plenty of money in Franklins. It would be a difficult challenge to do that for all play areas.
“It makes more sense to have a public realm team with the skills and capacity to apply effective maintenance across the range of play areas. If that can reduce our financial commitments in future that seems a sensible thing to do.”
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