Three play parks in Ashford are to receive a makeover after the council leader said the financial impact of Covid had not been "so severe on us".

Ashford Borough Council owns 55 play areas across the district and will spend £1.1 million refurbishing three “poor” sites.

The parks earmarked for funding are Rylands Road and Spearpoint Recreation Ground in Kennington and Central Park in Bluebell Road, Park Farm. Each will receive between £340,000 to £400,000.

All will have new play equipment, outdoor gyms and benches installed, as well as cycle racks to encourage green travel.

More funding for maintaining and repairing play parks across Ashford was also agreed, with £200,000 to be spent between 2022-23, with a further £100,000 every year after.

Council leader Cllr Gerry Clarkson (Con) said: “We had to pause a lot of things because we didn’t know the impact of Covid financially.

“A few months ago we began to realise the impact hadn’t been so severe on us and we’ve restarted these programmes.

“We recognise the value they have in the local communities and particularly to the young children."

Campaigns to raise money for the new parks have been ongoing, with the Park Farm Playground Project collecting £12,000 for the Bluebell Road play area.

Three small items of new play equipment have already been installed and will be repositioned as part of the refurbishment.

In Kennington, a parent group in Rylands Road raised £25,000 for its park through grants and fundraising events such as the Tesco bags for life scheme.

That money will be used to fund the outdoor gym which will be the first new equipment installed.

Kennington representative Cllr Nathan Iliffe (Con) said: “The Spearpoint play area is in my ward and I know a lot of residents are travelling in their cars across Ashford to newer play areas.

“This is the council walking the walk and talking the talk, and shows that every resident is within walking distance of a decent playing area."

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