Playground's £150k 'Wonderland' upgrade to give children a ‘vibrant, inclusive space'

A £150,000 Alice in Wonderland-themed makeover planned for a playground near Ascot is designed to provide a ‘vibrant, inclusive space’ for families, a parish council has said.

South Ascot Playpark will be reimagined to draw on Lewis Carroll’s fantasy world, which has delighted children and adults alike for more than 150 years.

When the Victoria Road playground reopens in spring this year, after a near two month overhaul, youngsters will be able to use a range of traditional and specially adapted play equipment.

Sunninghill and Ascot Parish Council said the revamp would ensure the playground ‘remains a vibrant, inclusive space for families and children of all abilities’.

A spokesperson added: “The existing playground has reached the end of its life and is in need of complete replacement.

“The new playground will feature modern, inclusive equipment designed to cater for all abilities, including children with SEND [special educational needs and difficulties].”

Lewis Carroll based his 1865 children’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland on a story he told to a young Alice Liddell - the daughter of his friend Henry Liddell - who is widely believed to have inspired the book’s titular character.

The parish council said the theme was chosen because of Ascot’s connection to Mr Liddell, who spent the final years of his life in the town.

The spokesperson added: “In the mid-20th century, housing developments in South Ascot led to the construction of new roads, two of which were named after Henry Liddell and Lewis Carroll to honour their friendship.

“Liddell Way and Carroll Crescent are both just a short walk from South Ascot Playpark.”

Fantasy-themed equipment planned for the site includes a Tweedledum and Tweedledee see-saw, designed for children with mobility difficulties and large enough for up to eight youngsters to use at once.

A new toddler climbing frame will be themed around the mysterious Wonderland woodland Tulgey Wood, famously brought to life in Disney’s 1951 animated film.

More traditional equipment will include swings, slides, a climbing net and a rope walk, designed for children aged five to 12.

Sensory play panels are also planned, featuring textured surfaces, the word ‘hello’ in Braille and British Sign Language (BSL), and an Alice in Wonderland-themed puzzle.

A start date for the work has not yet been confirmed, but the parish council said construction would begin and be completed in spring, taking between eight and 10 weeks.

The six-figure funding for the revamp will come from Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) money, collected from developers across the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

The spokesperson said: “The project has gone through a rigorous tender process, with a number of playground equipment providers submitting bids.

“The final design reflects the importance of delivering a high-quality, inclusive playground that meets modern standards.”

They added: “Funding for the project is entirely from CIL and not from the parish precept.”