Parents and kids jumping for joy after big Aviemore playpark success
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The leaders of a campaign to create a much better play park in Aviemore are jumping for joy even more than the kids at the moment!
They have been left delighted after receiving more than £80,000 in funds to make their dreams come true and give the community a park to be proud of.
They sprung into action not that long ago to transform Burnside playpark at the north end of the village and have come an awful long way since then.
But there is one little more jump to make with an extra addition for the park - a trampoline - which was a particular favourite for local children.
Kathryn Craig, who got the project off the ground with the help of other local parents just last November, has thanked everyone who has helped with the big success.
She said: “We have been awarded £80,823 from The Community Regeneration Fund and we delivered the news to Aviemore Primary School pupils in their Friday assembly. They were over the moon when they heard!
“What’s more we plan to also install a trampoline.
“We saw that the pupils loved the Jupiter design particularly because it had an inclusive trampoline.
“So we thought let’s get them a trampoline too! It means we do need to raise a little more - approximately £6000.”
Mrs Craig continued: “Our new play park is costing around £118,000 and we have been lucky to have had a grant from the Highland Council for £30758 and Aviemore Community Enterprise has also donated £2500 to the project.
“The community has really come together supporting our fundraisers and we also got £580 from Aviemore and Glenmore Trust from their ice rink fundraiser.
“We had set up a JustGiving which people kindly donated to as well. People might have seen our charity tins throughout Aviemore.”
Mrs Craig said a special thank-you to Mairi Brown from Volunteer and Action in Badenoch and Strathspey who helped her apply for the CRF money.
She said: “We really spent a significant amount of time getting it strong enough to give us the best possible chance and our hard work paid off. The next couple of weeks will be quite busy ironing out all the details and getting the ball rolling with Lynn McGillicray, Highland Council’s play strategist.
“I think realistically we are looking at the park opening in October.
“But we are just delighted that the Community Regeneration Fund chose our project - they clearly saw that this is something that is much needed for the families in Aviemore.”
Aviemore Primary School children and lower school pupils from the village who attended Kingussie High School voted for the winning Wicksteed design.
Any local individuals or businesses who wish to assist with the cost of the trampoline can contact the group through their Burnside Park Project page on Facebook.
