Playtime is about to become even more fun as playgrounds are livened up with new equipment

Dacorum Borough Council is splashing out £600,000 on refurbishing 25 of its 52 play areas and 13 of these will be ready to enough by the Easter school holidays.

Eight playgrounds were already spruced up in 2013.

Council neighbourhood action team leader Joe Guiton said: “With newer, more interesting equipment available like the hurricane swing and new wooden climbing frames imaginative play and social interaction is encouraged. Better weather is on the way and we hope the improved play areas will get people out into the parks and open spaces to have fun with their family and friends.”

In Berkhamsted’s Velvet Lawn the whole play area is new and in Hemel Hempstead’s town centre, new seating and play equipment is being added so families can play along the way as they shop.

The first of the new town centre play areas - near Marks and Spencer - has already opened and has a soft safety surface, interative play equipment and, when the weather warms up, will include a water feature.

To make way for the new equipment the Marlowes has to say goodbye to an old favourite - the Nickey Line play train outside of WH Smith. It will still be enjoyed by youngsters as it has been moved to Margaret Lloyd Playgroup in Grovehill.

The latest play areas to be completed or where the works are underway are:

Beechfield,

Bunkers Park,

Chaulden Lane,

Gaddesden Row,

Great Gaddesden,

Grovehill Playing Fields,

Jarman Park (Square),

Keens Field,

Malmes Croft,

Margaret Lloyd,

Northridge Way,

Randalls Park,

Reith Fields,

Rucklers Lane,

Sutton Close,

Swan Mead,

Velvet Lawn.