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New play area opens on the Ninefields estate, Waltham Abbey as part of the Council’s work to improve health and wellbeing in the area.
Over 300 residents came along to the grand opening event for the new playground, on Friday 19 May.
New facilities
The playground is for children aged between 2 to 12 years old and is fully inclusive for children with disabilities. It includes a slide, swings, climbing frame and small trampoline. There is also a multi-use games area with football goal and basketball hoop.
The event, organised by Epping Forest District Council’s (EFDC) Community Development and Wellbeing team, also included the opportunity for participants to take part in other activities including skateboarding, Play in the Park, learning about bike maintenance, experience a fire engine, basketball and podcasting.
Wider projects
Both play areas are part of the Epping Forest Health and Wellbeing Board’s and Epping Forest District Council’s (EFDC) work to improve health and wellbeing on the Ninefields estate.
The development project is funded through EFDC’s ‘More than Bricks and Mortar’ programme, which aims to work with residents on a range of estate projects to improve the look, feel and the communal living environment.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund also provided funding for the new play areas. This fund is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.
The Ninefields estate is also part of the Council’s Safer Streets project. The Safer Streets project aims to improve the environment, safety and health and wellbeing of residents living in the Ninefields.
Thank you to partners
The opening was supported by:
- Active Essex
- Crime Stoppers
- Epping Forest Community Safety Partnership
- Epping Forest MTB
- Essex County Fire and Rescue Service
- Essex Police
- Essex Youth Service
- Kings Ramps
- Places Leisure
- Qualis Group Ltd
- Youth Unity
Exciting times at Ninefields
Cllr Smruti Patel, Cabinet member for Community, Health and Wellbeing said:
These are exciting times at Ninefields, with lots of development and improvements across the whole estate to benefit residents, businesses and visitors. It is wonderful to see another part of our resident-led project completed.
Spending time outside has so many advantages for our health and wellbeing. The new play areas give children and families somewhere safe, exciting and local to enjoy the outdoors and have fun together.
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