Improvement works to the play equipment and sporting facilities in Dagenham’s Valence Park are nearing completion, with the revamped recreation area set to open with a launch event on Tuesday 26 March.

The opening ceremony will be taking place from 3pm at Valence Park, where a whole host of activities will be on offer to residents.

Play Innovation have installed a brand new ‘Hype Court’ as part of the park’s renovation, which features artistic court markings, sensory basketball backboards, and fun educational and family focused games. They will be providing families and children with an induction about how to play ‘wallball’ from 3pm to 3.30pm, with face painting also taking place at the same time.

The formal launch begins at 3.30pm, where Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, will be speaking alongside Matt Roebuck from London Sport and Lisa Adams – a local mum who helped put together the plans to improve Valence Park and raised funds for over two years.

This will be followed by a five minute community workout for those in attendance, as well as a gym induction and a mini basketball tournament involving players from British Basketball League side the London Lions.

The improvement works to Valence Park have seen the old play area equipment removed and replaced with brand new multi-play climbing units, swings, a roundabout, new seating, rubber safety surfacing, and a state-of-the-art outdoor gym area from The Great Outdoor Gym Company. Floodlighting for the basketball court has also been installed and funded by Sport England.

This project was made possible thanks to funding totalling £269,598. £140,000 of that money was provided by The London Marathon Charitable Trust, while the remainder has come from Veolia (£59,999), Sport England (£25,000), crowdfunding (£5,599) and match funding from Barking and Dagenham Council (£39,000). The London Marathon Charitable Trust have also provided a further £10,000 to help meet the cost of providing organised sport and recreation sessions at the new facility.

"The new play area and sporting facilities at Valence Park look absolutely fantastic and I am delighted that residents will be able to start using them from later this month"

Councillor Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement, is pleased to see that the revamped recreation area will be open to the public shortly:

“The new play area and sporting facilities at Valence Park look absolutely fantastic and I am delighted that residents will be able to start using them from later this month,” she said.

“I’d like to thank all of the organisations and individuals who contributed the funding to make this possible.

“If people would like to see the new equipment in person then I would encourage them to attend the launch event on 26 March, where they will be able to enjoy a number of fun activities for the whole family.”