Dedicated toddler area planned for town park

Newtown councillors will decide this week whether to create a dedicated area for toddlers at Maesyrhandir Play Park.

The town council’s Services Committee, meeting on Monday evening, will consider a recommendation from officers to delay any isolation work until further consultation has taken place with residents.

The proposal follows a resolution made by the council in May “to alter Maesyrhandir Play Park as soon as possible to isolate some of the play park and place apparatus for children around the age of 2+, where parents could accompany their smaller children in safety, after consulting with residents on their ideas and preferences.”

Since that decision, the council has obtained a £20,000 grant for new toddler equipment, including “a sensory butterfly and toddler train,” which will be installed in January 2025.

However, the report states that “the recommended isolation of a section of the play park for younger children would require additional funding, which is not included in the 2024/25 budget, and limited consultation has been received with residents.”

It also notes that the toddler equipment is currently located “towards the furthest end of the play park, which would be deemed the safest area, with seating available for parents to view toddlers and any additional older children playing at the same time.”

Officers have recommended that the new equipment be installed as planned and that the site be monitored “to assess the need for isolation of the toddler section during spring and summer 2026.”

“If isolation is deemed necessary, this should be considered for inclusion in the 2026/27 budget,” the report adds.

It further suggests that as Maesyrhandir “has received significant investment through the £20,000 grant, priority for future toddler equipment upgrades should also be given to other play areas in need of improvement, such as Sycamore Drive.”