Easebourne villagers reach funding target for park paths

They have raised more than £6,000, which means the parish council can go ahead with its project to upgrade pathways in the park to allow easy access for wheelchair users, child buggies and bikes.

Parish councillors launched their first ever Crowdfunding campaign in January, to raise money for more work at Easebourne Park.

Using the new Crowdfunding platform, Spacehive, they hoped that if they achieved their goal of just over £6,000 they could target some community funding through West Sussex County Council.

Now they have raised £6,292, with nearly 50 people supporting the project.

The first phase of Easebourne Park was opened in September last year.

“It has proved to be an excellent facility and well used by the community, however access paths are incompatible with wheelchair, buggy and bike use. In order to make the park accessible to all the community, the paths require upgrading,” said parish council chairman Mike Noble.

“It has been policy throughout the planning to ensure access is provided to as much of the community as possible. It was only the lack of initial funding that prevented the paths being constructed to allow access to everyone. They have been designed so they can easily be upgraded. The funds raised will ensure the park is fully inclusive to all in a very short time.”

Nearly 400 people turned out when the long awaited Easebourne Park was officially opened last September.

The groundbreaking facilities on the site, leased from West Sussex County Council, are a mix of traditional play equipment with innovative dens built with 80 tonnes of wood from the Cowdray Estate.