Barrista Coffee Hall Park
"Barrista" park area opens!
On Saturday 15th August, after months of hard work by the Coffee Hall Residents Association, Milton Keynes Council and Woughton Parish Council, the long awaited opening of the refurbished play area on Coffee Hall finally happened.
The young people on the estate were hanging out at the local centre with nothing to do, complaining about the play areas on the estate being old, worn out and not much fun. The Coffee Hall Residents Association tasked them with identifying an area on the estate that could be refurbished. The young people decided on a centrally located area of the estate.
The Residents Association wanted to create a family park, a recreation space where all ages could come together. The younger Coffee Hall residents were asked what sort of equipment they would like to see and use on their estate, they fed these ideas back to the Association and between them, Woughton Parish Council and Milton Keynes Council a draft park was drawn up.
The plan for the family area included provision for under 5years of age and equipment for 5-12 year olds, a multi-use ball games area, outdoor gym equipment aimed at 12 years of age and upwards. For the slightly older youth an interactive youth shelter with Bluetooth radio and solar powered lighting, an outdoor table tennis table and an outdoor football table have also been installed. There were also litter bins, seating and rocks for informal seating and climbing on.
Work started on the play area located along Jonathans in June this year and attracted a following of children who stood vigilant everyday throughout the summer break to watch the park take shape. The park was funded by a combination of funding from Woughton Parish Council, Milton Keynes Council, Youth Bank and WREN (money which was secured through the Residents Association).
The opening day took place on Saturday 15th August 2009 with a ribbon cutting to action the official opening taking place at 12.30pm. The Residents Association arranged a fantastic line up of events for the day with a Rodeo Bull, dance routines from a local group “Footprints” and “Nemesis”, a raffle, tombola, balloon release, barbeque and displays in the multiuse games area from the MK Dons and skateboarding demonstrations from Rubicon skateboarders’ school
The Residents Association would like to thank the following :- ROOF (Romanian Orphans Out into Families) for supplying the barbeque and Chameleon for the provision of the Rodeo Bull, as well as MK Theatre, TESCO, Universal Music, COSTCO, Boots, Woburn Safari Park, 360, Tenpin, Gullivers, MK Dons and Marshalls for raffle prize donations.
The day was a huge success and we would all like to thank the hundreds of residents’ young and old that came along to support the event.