Playgound
Background
From the outset, there has been a problem with the play tunnel in the Play Area on phase 1, between Ffordd y Mileniwm and the overspill car park. The water table is high, the soil is clay, and the drainage is poor and inadequate. Within a matter of weeks of the opening of the facility, it was clear that the play tunnel was wholly inadequate for the demands being placed on it. Even with a period of lockdown, it did not recover. It became unusable and needed some significant repair / rebuild.
What are we doing?
We have spent a lot of time understanding the design specification; build; warranties and maintenance of this facility in an effort to have it repaired at no-cost to residents. During this time, the play tunnel has deteriorated further with the area having been no more than a mud bath over the winter.
A decision was taken that the priority for BWCRA should be to ensure that there was a serviceable play facility available to children, and that in the first instance it should be paid for from the Maintenance Charge and its accumulated reserve.
What have we achieved?
We arrived at an agreement with Remus a year ago that repairs should be undertaken without further delay. However, on reviewing prices for the proposed works, it became clear that no formal tendering process had been followed and that comparison between the three proposals was impossible. There was then a change of staff, and further periods of Covid restrictions which resulted in no work being undertaken during the year. We have now agreed that a new tendering process should be initiated with a view to the urgent repair of this structure.
Next steps
While the immediate repair of the play tunnel was judged to be the priority, there is still an ongoing debate as to whether it was properly constructed in the first place.
While we have been assured that it was built according to specification, if that were the case, then the specification was not fit for purpose and someone, other than the residents, should be carrying the costs of repair / renewal.
We have asked for sight of the original specification, and Remus have indicated that they will try to get us a copy from the Consortium.