Accessible playground in Reading reopens after £462,000 redevelopment

The relocated and upgraded play area in Victoria Park, Reading has opened ahead of schedule thanks to a £462,000 investment by Reading Borough Council (RBC).

The accessible play area, designed for children aged between three and 12 years old, will be further complemented by an outdoor gym in time for summer 2025.

The design of the new playground was selected by local residents as part of a community consultation last year. It includes a mix of equipment, including equipment accessible to all ages and mobility levels. It also has a new surface to enable access for children and carers using mobility aids.

The new equipment offers fun and challenge for children of all abilities and includes swings, toddler and junior multi play units, play panels, an accessible see-saw and a climbing tower with a tunnel slide.

Adele Barnett-Ward, RBC’s Lead Councillor for Leisure, said: “Outdoor play is essential for children’s health and wellbeing, so investment in improved play facilities is always money well spent. Victoria Park is a much-loved and popular communitypark so I am delighted to deliver this fantastic new playground. It has been wonderful to see children enjoying the new equipment despite the winter weather, and of course by the summer we will have an outdoor gym to come in time for the summer.”