Back to nature

Back to nature - If you go down to the woods in King's Lynn today, you can be sure of a big surprise...

Nestling in amongst the undulating landscapes, enhanced recently by Wicksteed Playscapes, are intriguing woody trails, craggy rocks for sitting on or clambering over and natural, roped walkways plus the odd sprinkling of play products such as a soaring swing and colourul multi-play system.  These wonderfully refurbished sites now provide the local community with pleasant, verdant spaces perfect for playing inventive games and going back to the outdoor play of yesteryear.

Wicksteed won the £230k contract with King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council which involved the design and build of a massive five sites in total.  Significantly rejuvenated by the Northamptonshire-based manufacturer, the sites are now delightful adventure lands for children of all ages to discover.

From a very specific tender to incorporate new natural play guidelines whilst still providing a balance of prescribed equipment, Wicksteed was deemed to have followed the brief the closest and shown a very high level of thought in the submissions made.  The project included a wealth of landscaping, planting and artistic vision ~ all of which Wicksteed's dedicated creative team thrive upon.

With funding through BIG Lotto and Improving Neighbours Board (INB) for Pulkey Wood, Coronation Wood, Centrepoint and Beck's Field sites plus other monies from the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk for the fifth site at Terrington, these play spaces have significantly improved local facilities.

Michelle Parker, Greenspace Project Officer for the Council, said: "The areas designed all involved creating natural play sites, to include landscaping and planting, a couple of which are going into light wooded areas and therefore needed to work with the sites.  Wicksteed provided clever designs that integrated the equipment into the areas and enhanced the natural feel of the sites through planting."