Three parents’ dream of bringing back a beloved play park to a Moray town has taken a massive step forward.
Campaigners want to make the park at Well Road in Buckie a thriving place of activity once again.
The grassy patch has been dormant since the final piece of play equipment was removed by the council about a decade ago.
However, parents in the area have now banded together to raise cash to pay for new toys so youngsters do not have to risk crossing busy roads to have fun.
Michelle Gauld, secretary of the Well Road Park committee, was inspired to act to ensure her five and three-year-old children can enjoy the outdoors.
She said: “Over the years more and more equipment got taken away until it was left empty. There were no plans to do anything with it.
“My children are too small to go to the nearest play park. Other families are the same. There’s busy roads so you don’t want to let them go on their own.
“We’re still working out what we’re going to put in the park but we’re keen on an agricultural and fishing theme to reflect Buckie’s heritage.”
The fundraising committee was given a £20,700 boost from cash paid to Moray Council by housing developers who have worked in the area.
The campaigners, who also include chairwoman Rachel Cormack and Gail Imlach, are targeting more than £50,000 to pay for an array of attractions to encourage young children in the area to get active.
The mothers also believe the park would act as an attraction for pupils making their way to and from classes at nearby Millbank Primary School.
Yesterday, Buckie councillor Sonya Warren praised the initiative of the women.
She said: “It’s really fantastic to see how well they’re getting on. I don’t think they’ve been involved in anything like this in their lives before.
“It’s wonderful because the whole community will benefit from something like this. It really was a well-used park that everyone loved but over the years the equipment just wouldn’t get replaced as it broke.”
