St Pauls Adventure Playground has temporarily closed due to structural issues with the play equipment. The playground closed its doors to the public on Thursday (May 25) last week and is set to remain closed for at least a month while building works are underway.
The popular playground had to be rebuilt in 2020 following an arson attack in 2019. The fire three years ago could have been the end of the adventure playground, which has been a vital resource for the local community since the 1970s.
While donations flooded in at the time and the burnt-out structures were rebuilt, the lasting impact of the fire had created some issues along the way. In 2022 adverse weather conditions caused a large tree trunk, which was already weak after the fire, to snap in half.
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The playground, which is managed by the A.P.E project CIC, said it will not reopen until June 25 at least. Staff shortages over the spring has caused the playground to close sporadically on several occasions.
A job advertisement went up in May for a new executive director but as of yet there has been no announcement of any appointment for the playground leadership position. St Pauls Adventure Playground put out a statement on their Facebook page regarding the current closure and added in a follow-up post that updates will be shared on social media as the works progress.
In a statement dated May 25, a spokesperson said: “We are deeply sorry to announce that due to organisational and structural issues, St Pauls Adventure Playground will be closed for at least a month starting from now. At the end of this period more information will be communicated.
“We also apologise for the late notice. Any queries or concerns, please feel free to contact the office on apeproject@gmail.com.Thank you for your understanding - from the Ventures team.”
A post the following day added: "Thank you for all the love and support! We are working hard behind the scenes to improve and develop our playground and to get Ventures beautifully up and running again."
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