125 Teessaurus Park Improvements PDF 350 KB
Minutes:
The
Executive Member for Education and Communities and the Director of Regeneration
and Culture submitted a report for the Executive’s consideration. The purpose
of the report was to seek approval for funding of £250,000 for the proposed
improvements to Teessaurus Park.
The
Teessaurus Park attracted visitors from across the
north and had been synonymous with Middlesbrough since its opening in 1979. The
park had provided opportunities for children, families and adults to enjoy the
area and the access to the river.
As
with any park or leisure space, there was a constant need to update the offer
and ensure that the attraction continued to support Middlesbrough’s desired
cultural image.
To
facilitate that, a working group had been set up in 2020, which explored
options for improving Teessaurus Park. A range of
improvements had been identified and costings gathered and aligned to the
improvement plan.
The
proposed improvements to the park to be funded from the £250,000 capital
investment were as follows:
·
40ft
café unit to include internal toilets and customer seating, full kitchen and
appliances, a serving hatch for take away refreshments (it proposed that the
operation of the café would be outsourced and managed by an independent
business);
·
enhanced
lighting throughout the park to be installed on columns and located to
illuminate paths and the dinosaur sculptures;
·
improved
footpaths throughout the park to improve accessibility;
·
mains
utilities provision to the park of electricity, water and drainage;
·
children’s
zip wire and embankment slide to help increase visitor dwell time;
·
accessible
children’s play equipment for children with disabilities;
·
installation
of three CCTV cameras mounted to columns;
·
motion
sensors and sound system installed on columns close to dinosaur sculptures to
make dinosaur sounds when visitors pass them;
·
points
of interest around the park (including installation of large outdoor fixed
dinosaur-themed jigsaw puzzles and large dinosaur footprints);
·
improved
signage to direct visitors to the park from the A66;
·
improved
new signage around the park, including educational signage providing
information on each dinosaur; and
·
development
of a marketing campaign to increase visitor numbers and creation of a brand for
the park.
Subject
to Executive approval, the improvement works would commence in late May 2021
with planning permission application, followed by a procurement exercise to
tender for the purchase of the café unit and site works would be expected to
commence in May and be completed in late September 2021.
A
discussion ensued and Members commented on:
·
the
importance of providing toilets and changing facilities that could be accessed
and utilised by children with disabilities;
·
the
need to improve access to the site in respect of public transport; and
·
the
need for the Director of Finance to explore alternative funding options and
financial opportunities in order to deliver the improvement works.
In light of discussions, the Mayor proposed an amendment to the recommendations of the submitted report. Following a vote, Members were in agreement that, if no alternative funding options could be identified by the Director of Finance to deliver the improvement works, approval would ... view the full minutes text for item 125