New play area to officially open at Aden Country Park

Aden Country Park atMintlaw will officially open its new children’s play facilities later this monthtying in with the October school holidays.

Following the soft launch back in July, the now completed play area will be opened to the public to enjoy from 10.30am on Friday, October 25following a short ceremony.

The new play facilities include a wide range of equipment aimed at children of all ages and abilities including a double cableway zip-slide, supernova, castle, basket and five-way swings, carousels, springers, seesaw, wobble bridge, sand diggers, farmer’s den, jeep and petrol station, parkour, hammock, balance posts, dome, space net, stilts, and toddler activity unit.

Most of the installed play equipment is DDA accessible, with the addition of a fully accessible roundabout to ensure that children of all abilities can play together.

The opening of the new play facilities will also be complemented with a range of additional family-friendly activities including face-painting, a magician, music, Ranger activities and fun trails within theAberdeenshire Farming Museum.

A photographic exhibition is also being developed to showcase the various stages of the play park’sdevelopmentwhich has been installedby Aberdeenshire Council’s Landscape Services.

Neil Shirran, Aden Project Co-ordinator, explained: “The new play area has been developed as part of the £2.13 million National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) Aden Country Park project which also supports the major restoration and redevelopment of both Aden’s historic buildings and landscape, planned improvements to park interpretation, accessibility and signage and a programme to enhance biodiversity.”

The development of the new play area has only been made possible with funding support from a wide range of organisations and individuals including TheNational Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), Scottish Landfill Communities Fund bodies -Viridor Credits, FCC Communities Fund and Easter Hatton Environmental -along with support from the Friends of Aden, Macduff Shellfish, Claymore Homes, Macbi Community Hub, BanconHomes, Café at Aden, Colaren Homes, Mintlaw Vet Surgery, Hamish Watson, David Barron, and both cash and non-cash contributions from Aberdeenshire Council itself.

Commenting on the opening, Caroline Clark, Director, Scotland of The NationalLottery Heritage Fund, said; I’m delighted that players of The National Lottery have been able to support this superb new play area, which is a fantastic new asset for children and young people to enjoy, benefitting their health and wellbeing as well as stimulating their sense of fun and adventure as they explore this beautiful historic park.”

Local councillorswill join the project team, Landscape Services staff, Friends of Aden and supporting bodies forthe official opening ceremony.

Chair of the Buchan Area Committee, Councillor Norman Smith,said: “The opening of the new play area marks the completion of the first strand of the wider Aden project.

“It’s a real boost for the park and I’m sure the play area will prove to be a very popular attraction for visitors and the local community alike.”