A major £130,000 overhaul of Haslemere’s Meadow Town Park playground was officially unveiled on May 11.

Families, town council members and representatives from play equipment provider Eibe Play gathered to watch Mayor Jean Arrick cut the ribbon and unveils the long-awaited transformed ageing play area into a modern, inclusive space.

The redevelopment has completely replaced the former playground, which councillors said had reached the end of its usable life after more than 35 years. Once characterised by a bark pit and an inaccessible layout, the space has been redesigned with wheelchair-friendly surfacing and inclusive equipment for children aged two to 14.

New features include agility structures, a net trail, dedicated toddler and swing areas, and a wheelchair-accessible see-saw, spinning chair and swing. Nearly all of the original equipment has been removed, with only three benches and a dinosaur rocker retained.

Paul Redden, managing director of Eibe Play, said the six-week build had created a valuable new community space.

He said: “Working with the councillors and design team, the choice of equipment and layout has given us a great public space. I can see a real community hub here for children and parents that wasn’t quite here before.”

Play space consultant Stuart Evans added: “We think we’ve created a community hub children will enjoy for years to come and something that will really bring the community together.”

Councillor Oli Leach, chair of amenities at Haslemere Town Council, said the project had been “a year in the making”.

He added: “We wanted to make a playground for all, for everyone to use, and hopefully this is the start of rejuvenating more playgrounds across our community.”

The council is now looking ahead to wider improvements, with around £500,000 of Community Infrastructure Levy funding earmarked for the renovation of three further playgrounds in and around the town. Councillors also stressed that Beacon Hill’s playground has not been forgotten, but said it will be considered in future phases as it remains relatively new compared with other sites.