A WELL used children’s park in Chipping Sodbury is to be transformed into a modern playground full of exciting equipment.

The play area at The Ridings, next to the Scout hut on St John’s Way, is being refurbished by Sodbury Town Council.

The park will be closed for up to three weeks while the works take place from June 4.

Parents have been calling for improved facilities at the outdated park for years and the Sodbury Parish Plan identified it as in need of work but the town council can only now afford to completely modernise the area following grants totalling £35,000.

The Big Lottery Fund and Chipping Sodbury Town Lands Charity have both awarded grants of £10,000 for the project and £15,000 will come from South Gloucestershire Council’s New Homes Bonus. Sodbury Town Council is itself contributing a further £12,000.

Town council clerk Cate Davidson said: “The council has received requests to update the play area over the last few years but the fact it was raised in the parish plan as needing improvement prompted the investigation into grants which could be available for the works.

“Due to costs we have to use the same footprint as the current set up but the wet pour safety surface is being replaced.”

The new and improved play zone will include a climbing tower with a slide and bridges for young children and a tall tower with climbing wall and sliding bars for older children.

There will be two toddler swings, two normal swings and a swinging basket which is accessible for children of all ages and abilities.

A younger children’s area will include two spring toys, one for two and one for four children, and a rotating cup for children to sit in and a stand on see-saw.

Ms Davidson added: “We are also having some new seating and hopefully the whole area will feel much brighter and a great place for older and younger children to gather.”