HUNDREDS of youngsters are using a new and ‘heavenly’ disabled-friendly playground in the borough.
Even more are expected to use it during next week’s schools half-term break.
The play area in the Miners Welfare Park in Bedworth has been designed so that children with disabilities can use it alongside able bodied youngsters.
Top of the range technology has been used to create one of the first facilities of its kind in the country and it is already proving to be a huge success.
Although it was completed and open for use last November, it has only just been officially opened by the Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth councillor John Haynes.
A decision was taken to delay the official opening until better weather arrived.
Cllr Haynes cut the ribbon in font of young people who use the playground and representatives of the organisations who made it possible.
A plaque was also unveiled to acknowledge all of the groups and partners and to name it `Heaven’s Special Children’s Place.’
Afterwards Cllr Haynes said: “I would like to thank everyone who has made this play area possible.
“These things do not happen on their own and I know that people have been working really hard to bring it to life.”
He added: “I am sure the children of Bedworth and Warwickshire enjoy having this play area to use.”
Disabled youngsters across the county and the West Midlands have flocked to use the state-of-the-art play area.
They are thrilled that for the first time they can integrate and play in safety alongside their able bodied friends.
Parents and carers on Warwickshire County Council’s Integrated Disability Service Steering Group were the driving force behind the exciting project.
They provided £180,000 from funding that came from central government’s Aiming High for Disabled Children Programme.
Another £80,000 for what has been hailed as a flagship project came from Section 106 money.
That is money paid by developers to the borough council to provide open space and recreational facilities as part of the planning process.
