Work begins on £400,000 revamp at Otley park (From Wharfedale Observer)

Work begins on £400,000 revamp at Otley park

9:40am Wednesday 25th July 2007 in Local news By Jim Jack

THE first phase of an improvement package costing more than £400,000 has begun at Otley's Wharfemeadows Park.

Work on refurbishing the park's tennis courts by the white bridge, which will include acrylic painting of the courts, re-surfacing and new fencing, began last week.

It is part of a wider range of improvements, announced in February and which will also see new play equipment and fencing added to the playground and work on the skatepark, to revitalise the area.

One casualty of the revamping of the tennis courts, though, will be a neighbouring beech hedge which has been causing problems.

Councillor Colin Campbell (Lib Dem, Otley and Yeadon) said: "As part of the Parks Renaissance funding we are refurbishing the tennis courts down near the white bridge.

"This includes new surfacing, fencing and acrylic painting of the courts.

"As part of this refurbishment we will be removing the overgrown beech hedge by the side of the courts.

"This is because leaves and shading create moss on the courts and the roots are lifting the surface.

"To compensate for the loss of vegetation we will be planting 50 new trees in the park this autumn.

"I welcome this work, which is the first part of a major investment in Wharfe-meadows that will lead to improvements to all areas of the park.

"I am sorry that the old beech hedge is to go but feel that the new tree planting more than compensates for this."

The work at Wharfemeadows (and at Horsforth Hall Park, which is getting improvements to its bandstand and flowerbeds) is being paid for from Leeds City Council's £3.7 million renaissance fund' for parks and green spaces across the city.