Ambitious plan needed for town’s parks and green spaces

LOCAL residents have shared their ideas on what they would like to see in Melksham’s parks, playgrounds and green spaces, with café facilities and toilets being top of the wish list.  

In August, Melksham Town Council asked for feedback in a Parks, Green Spaces and Playgrounds consultation, to find out what residents would like to see in the town’s 13 parks and play areas. The council’s parks working group was considering the future of recreational facilities in the town. 

Amongst the comments from local people for parks throughout the town were; request for a sensory garden and toilet/changing facility for children with learning difficulties; more equipment for teenagers; for the lights to be turned off at night at the skate park, but lighting for the rest of the park after dark; additional play equipment for different ages; dog agility equipment; a band stand; a canopy area for shade during the summer; more litter bins; water refill stations; and clamping down on antisocial behaviour. 

Councillors discussed the results of the survey at a meeting of the asset management and amenities committee on Monday 17th October and outlined the next steps. Councillor Jon Hubbard urged the council to be ambitious, saying they should draw up a mission statement and action plan based on the public’s comments. He said, “This is a big job to now take what people have said and put those suggestions alongside the ambitions that the town council already has.  

“I would really love us as a council to be ambitious. There’s a real opportunity to provide facilities that kids of today are looking for, that they weren’t 25 years ago. 

“The parks working group need to take this on board and come up with an action plan about how we can develop parks across the town.” 

He said that parks could be considered on a park-by-park basis and it could be considered whether parks are still in the correct place. 

The town clerk said that if an action plan is drawn up as a result of the public’s responses, the council could be in a strong position to apply for any grant funding. 

The full results of the consultation will now be examined by the council’s parks working group who will prepare an ambitious strategy which will be considered by the council’s committee. It was suggested that a 10-year action plan be drawn up to implement the ideas.