APPROVING parents and excited youngsters gathered at Riverside Park, Watford, at the weekend to celebrate the launch of a new playground specially designed for young people.

The site in Riverside Road was previously a rubbish tip and an eyesore but was developed into a park by a joint venture between Groundwork Herfordshire and Watford Council.

Now it is a "user friendly" park complete with play area and ball park, and there are plans to install skate ramps and a sensory garden.

On Saturday, October 20, Groundworks and Watford Council hosted a "park-warming party" for people living in the neighbourhood.

The site was officially opened by Watford Mayor Sybil Tuckwood, who was over-joyed with the transformation.

Mr Geoff Bunce, Hertfordshire Groundwork's senior community project officer said the improvements to the park were nearing completion, and that Groundwork were keen to open the park before the half-term started, to give young people in the area somewhere to play during the school holdiday.

Mr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, county councillor for Central Watford and Oxhey, said: "I am very pleased with the outcome.

"If you had come here six months ago, none of these wonderful amenities would be in existence.

"A lot of local residents and schools were involved in the design of this project to transform the wasteland."

Newly appointed ward manager PC Clare Edwards, said: "I am here to offer my support to the residents and builders of the park.

"My role will be to keep an eye on the area, the park, and liaise with the young people and find out if there are any problems.

"There were some consultations with the police, which I think is good, and goes to show a lot of thought went into the park's design.

Resident Mrs Jeanette Ward, from Riverside Road, said: "Hopefully, this new park will be beneficial to its users.

"The only thing I am worried about is the level of vandalism, because we have a lot of it here.

"There are concerns amongst the residents, but I shall wait and see.

Francesca Cambria, 11, and her friend Georgina Craddick, 10, both from Riverside Road, agreed that the park was a "great idea."

Francesca said: "This new park is brilliant. Before this we had nowhere to ride our bikes or play.

"When it rained the fields got muddy, so we had to stay indoors watching the television and it got boring.

"Now we can come everyday during our school holiday and after school to play."

Francesca's mum Mrs Naomi Welch, 35, said: "Hopefully children will have something to do and it will keep them off the road and away from the cars.

"Also I am disabled, so I can not walk around much. This new park means I can keep an eye on my children"

Pensioners Mr John and Ivy Andrews, from Crossmead Road, Watford, said they felt compared to the wasteland it used to be, the new park will be very safe for the children to play in.

The couple hope it will keep children off the main road and the town centre, and that it is somewhere the parents can keep an eye on them.

The project has incorporated the installation of a new bridge crossing the River Colne, which carries the National Cycle Network route onto the site and into Central Watford.

October 30, 2001 15:30