New play area planned for Bo'ness Foreshore

With features including a sunken ship, stilt posts, a large cantilevered basket swing and a wobbly bridge, industrial heritage has never looked like so much fun.

The charity Sustrans has applied for planning permission as part of the Greenways project, which is finding ways to make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle along the Bo’ness and Kinneil Foreshore.

The play park on land to the north of Union Street car park will be fully accessible and exclusively designed by playground specialists, Flights of Fancy with Make Things Happen Design Studio Ltd.

Last year, Sustrans, with the support of Falkirk Council, asked local people for ideas on how they could improve the path and encourage people to use it more – and the new playpark proposals are one of the results.

Speaking about the plans, a spokesperson for Sustrans revealed more details of how the park will look.

He said: “Early community feedback highlighted the need for a dedicated, accessible play space along the foreshore that championed the rich harbour heritage of Bo’ness.

“The intention is to position a sunken boat as a feature piece for users of all ages to explore and navigate.

“This sunken ship is grounded in the ship-breaking heritage once carried out at Bridgeness Harbour in Bo’ness.”

In another nod to the area’s heritage, the stilt posts will feature carvings of whales, a reminder that the port of Bo’ness was once part of a thriving Scottish whaling industry.

If all goes to plan, the new play area at Bo’ness Foreshore could be in place before the end of the year.

Speaking about the proposed timeline for the proposed new play area, the spokesperson for Sustrans added: “We are going to be leading a bit of a consultation with local primary school children this autumn, and then the aspiration is construction late this year / early in 2022 depending on weather.”

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