New pictures have revealed the colourful transformation of a play park at a popular north-east tourist attraction following a £300,000 improvement project.
The play area at Aden Country Park will open next Wednesday, with new additions ensuring that blind and disabled youngsters will be able to join in with the fun when they visit the historic landmark.
The play park now boasts twin zip wires for children to whoosh through the air on, a basket swing, a carousel, a seesaw, toddler swings, toy diggers for playing in sandpits, a farmer’s den and various other features.
The development is part of a wider project to make the Mintlaw attraction more appealing to visitors.
The Heritage Lottery Fund made £2.13 million available for the restoration and redevelopment of the country park last year, with the remaining sum needed for the play park being donated in March.
A few weeks later, Livingston-based Kompan took on the contract to supply the play equipment and make changes to the surface.
Project coordinator, Neil Shirran, said: “This has been a long time coming and is really a big moment for everyone.”
There will be a short ceremony at 10am on Wednesday to celebrate the first stage of the refurbishment nearing completion.
Additional wheelchair-accessible play equipment and other items are scheduled to be ready for the grand opening later this year.
Work on the play area is still ongoing this week so the public have been asked to avoid the spot until it is formally opened.
Councillor Norman Smith will be the one leading the ceremony next week.
He said: “This is the first stage of the refurbishment of the park and is one of the first parts to be completed with Heritage Lottery funding.
“Hopefully the rest will fall into place as soon as possible.
“It’s a real boost for the park and I’m sure the play area will prove to be a very popular attraction for visitors and the local community alike.”
