A full revamp of the park’s “old, worn, and dangerous” playground has begun and will be ready in early May
ONE of Splott Park’s most-loved residents is returning in spirit with a new ‘Jessie The Train’ being installed as part of a playground revamp.
Work has begun on the long-awaited playground refurbishment, which will take 14 weeks to build and is scheduled to open in early May.
The news has delighted people in Splott who signed a petition three years ago calling for the old playground site to be refurbished.
Laura David, who started the petition in 2022, said is particularly happy to have Jessie back.
“We love the train as this is a nod to the old Jessie Train that was there around 1977, which locals loved,” she said.
“We are excited to see the community enjoy the new space this summer.”
The original Jessie was a nod to the East Moors Steelworks steam trains, which transported slag to the seashore and shuttled iron ore between blast furnaces and the melting shop.
When the East Moor trains changed to diesel in the 1960s, the last Jessie Train was restored and placed in Splott Park as a memorial to steam trains.
In 1980 the Splott Park train was purchased by Mike Pearce and he restored it from a graffitied play area, to a functioning steam train again. This left the park without a train for more than 45 years but a new Jessie is arriving as part of the new playground plans.
The park will also include:
- Toddlers’ facilities
- Police and fire engine spring toys
- Slide and climbing mound
- Wheelchair accessible roundabout
- Climbing frame
- 3D Jigsaw and dice climbing blocks
- Swings
- Seesaw
Ms David started the petition because she felt that the park had been neglected for years, despite it being well used by locals for bike riding, dog walking, sport, and socialising.
Splott residents agreed and pulled together with more than 700 people signing the petition.
Councillors Ed Stubbs, Huw Thomas and Jane Henshaw consulted with Ms David and resident Nick Broughton on the plans.
The councillors wanted input from the community and its schools to make sure the plans benefitted the children.
Ms David said: “Our requests [at the consultation] were to be accessible for all children of all abilities and for the park to allow play for not just children under 12 years, but also the teenagers of our community.”
Coun Stubbs said Splott Park now has a playground, a 3G football pitch and a new play park.
“I think the park should serve a really wide range of children,” he said.
“Thank you to Nick and Laura for coming to us in such a positive manner. We are happy that work has started on the play park, and everyone is really excited about seeing a new play park in Splott Park.”
The funding for the renovations was secured last summer and is part of the Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Scheme, with part of the money coming form the Shared Prosperity Fund.
Splott Park’s revamp follows recent renovations of Maltings Park and Moorland Park in Splott.
