Fourteen years ago, a group of grannies and young mothers were concerned about the poor state of children’s play equipment in Lanark parks and decided to do something about it.
They formed the Lanark Playparks Action Group (LPAG), opened a bank account, and set about fundraising. The founder members of the group, Isobel Watson (Chairman), Allison McAlpine (Vice Chairman), Lynne Steer (Secretary), Joan MacMillan (Treasurer), Jennifer Angus, Sylvia Russell and Lisa Bell met regularly and came up with lots of fundraising ideas.
Over the years they had a lot of fun raising £195,000 which allowed them to work with South Lanarkshire Council to place new play equipment at Lanark Loch, Kildare and Vaccee’s Park on Cleghorn Road. With a donation from the Colin McRae Vision Trust, they were also able to create the cycle trail in the woods at Lanark Racecourse.
However, as their children and grandchildren have now grown up, the group decided that it was time for them to wind up and would encourage other young mums and grans to pick up the baton and continue the good work. They decided that the remaining funds in their bank account should be given to Lanark Community Development Trust (LCDT)to put towards a cycle pump track for youngsters in the town.
The group met for a final time on the 18th September when the treasurer, Joan MacMillan, presented a cheque for £13,521 to Sylvia Russell, Chairman of Lanark Community Development Trust and also a founder member of LPAG.
LCDT is working with South Lanarkshire Council and the recently formed Pump Track Committee to carry out a feasibility study into the best place to site the pump track and will be carrying out consultations on this and looking at grant funding opportunities to pay for its installation.
Deadmans
