A Cardiff playground has been closed for years following a flooding problem caused by a faulty drain running underneath it. The playground on Drovers Way, which was built as part of a development at Clos Parc Radyr, closed permanently in February 2020 after flooding.
However, the park has not re-opened since, with Cardiff Council saying that the most recent tendering exercise for repair works had been unsuccessful. A partnership between Radyr and Morganstown Community Council, Cardiff Council, the Clos Parc Radyr Management Committee and Redrow Homes to deliver improvements to the playground was set up in 2019 after equipment was removed.
The children's climbing frame in the park was removed in May 2019 following an assessment by Cardiff Council that it was no longer safe to use. The frame's footings had rusted away, due to constant flooding of the play area. £25,000 was earmarked for improvements while a GoFundMe page was also set up by a local resident to raise money to regenerate the playground and provide additional funding to replace and repair the equipment.
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However, drainage issues under the playground have prevented new equipment from being installed. Issues with flooding began in 2018, one resident told WalesOnline, with mud running from a grassed area onto the playground. A chamber that is topped with a manhole in the park connects to drainage under the park.
Following the storms in early 2020, the chamber became "overwhelmed" with the flow of water, resulting in the manhole cover coming off, a resident said. Due to the flooding, the playground was closed. A CCTV survey of the drainage system associated with the cover that burst open in the playground was carried out later in 2020 and found issues associated with the culverted water course below the playground and open space.
Cardiff Council has said that the most recent tendering process for the repair works, carried out earlier this summer, was unsuccessful, however, a new tendering process is due to commence "shortly".
Commenting, Conservative Councillor for Radyr & Morganstown Calum Davies said: "The sorry state of this park was one of the biggest issues mentioned throughout my campaign before being elected in May - and I said I'd do my utmost to resolve the issue.
"Sadly, it can often feel like two steps forward one, one step back as we seen during the tendering process - but that will be little comfort to local residents. Whilst I am grateful for the work of some individuals in the Council, to wait years for this issue to be resolved is beyond acceptable, especially for the families who did not have a local park to take their children to during the pandemic.
"Covid cannot be an excuse for poor public services and I am regularly asking for updates on the issue from the Council who I hope will make progress on the matter soon."
Cllr Davies has previously tabled two written questions on the progress of re-opening the playground in June and July of this year, with the latest reply to the question saying that the latest procurement route had been unsuccessful and that tenders are anticipated to be returned to the Council in mid-August.
A council spokesperson said: “It remains the council’s intention to bring this play area back into use and a limited amount of Welsh Government funding has now been secured to rectify the drainage issue.
"A tendering exercise for the repair works carried out earlier this summer was unsuccessful, with no local contractors having the resource available to complete the work. A new tendering process is due to commence shortly and if successful, construction work would be expected to begin later this year.”
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