Remembering the Romans at Caersws Play Area

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Client: Caersws Recreation Association
Location: Caersws,Powys, Wales

Caersws is a village and community on the River Severn in Powys, Wales and is the location of two historic Romans forts. The Recreation Association was formed to look after the Recreation Ground and Playing Fields, which was left to the Community of Caersws to benefit the residents of Caersws and neighbouring communities.

Caersws Recreation Association planned a big fundraising project for a new playground which started in 2012. To get the ball rolling, the community arranged to meet their local Playdale Area Manager for a free, no-obligation design and consultancy meeting. Scaled plans, detailed quotations and themed 3D visuals were drawn up. Due to the site’s historical significance, a Roman theme just had to be incorporated into the play area.

Playdale’s 3D visualisation of the new playground at Caersws Play Area

The project was made possible thanks to a variety of different funding sources including The National Lottery Community Fund, The Margaret and Gwendoline Davies Trust and TESCO Bags of Help. In addition to these sources’ money was raised through fundraising events and the support from residents and local businesses.

As far as playground projects go, this one was interesting due to the play area being designated as is a Scheduled Monument containing part of a Roman civilian settlement. Scheduled Monuments are nationally important archaeological sites given protection against unauthorised change.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the play area. The installers had to be extra careful whilst digging, the project was overseen by the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust. The trust made sure historically significant items were not disturbed during the installation.

Location of significant excavations found at the play area in previous years and placement of the new equipment.

 

Finds from the installation included fragments of Roman roof tile, brick fragments, Roman fabrics and an Iron object.  One of our installers excavated a fragment of pottery which will soon be displayed as a museum piece!

All the play items that went into this design were from our stainless steel ranges and included an Inclusive Orbit, Little City Olso from our toddler multi play range, Gravity Rider, Quad Rider, Aerial Runway, stainless steel Adventure Trail, Mega Swing, a Two Bay Junior Swing including two inclusive seats, and a customised Big City Plus from our junior multi play range. The equipment bases were covered with Roman themed wet pour safety surfacing; a rubber surface that gives a high quality, hard wearing, slip resistant surface requiring little or no maintenance.

The colour panels on the stainless steel junior multi play unit really complements the gladiator galea wet pour below!

Hard work from Caersws Recreation Association & community has resulted in a community play area that they can be proud of and children will enjoy for many years to come.

Click here if you would like to meet with your local Playdale Area Manager to discuss your new playground project. We’d love to meet you!

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