Bourton-on-the-Water play area wins acclaim (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Bourton-on-the-Water Rye Crescent play area wins acclaim in Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association’s Playing Field and Playground of the Year competition

5:00pm Sunday 3rd February 2013 in Cotswolds news By Ian Craig

A RECENTLY-REFURBISHED play area in Bourton-on-the-Water has won acclaim in a Gloucestershire-wide awards ceremony.

Rye Crescent Play Area was named runner-up in the small playground category in Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association’s (GPFA) Playing Field and Playground of the Year competition.

The play area was only one point behind the winner, Freeman Playing Field in Gotherington.

Bourton parish Cllr Bill Wragge said the playground had recently seen a set of new equipment installed thanks to a £15,000 investment by organisations including Cotswold District Council and the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust with more to follow.

Elsewhere in the Cotswolds, Upper Up Playing Field in South Cerney was highly commended in the playing field category.

Walnut Tree Field in Fairford was also highly commended in the large playground category.

The awards – now in their fifth year – were presented by Gloucestershire’s Lord Lieutenant Dame Janet Trotter at GPFA’s recent annual general meeting.

GPFA chairman Major Thomas Hancock said he was "delighted" by the high standard of entries.

"It is also pleasing that support for the competition has been from right across the county," he said. "Next year we are hoping for even more entries."