A Cub Scouts leader is campaigning to make Albert Road Recreation Ground in Caversham more accessible for disabled children and residents.
Sarah Jones, leader of the 69th Reading 1st Caversham Heights Scout Group and a mum of three including a wheelchair user, submitted a petition to Reading Borough Council on March 24.
She wants the old kissing gate replaced with a wheelchair gate, the disabled parking bay reinstated, and wheelchair-accessible play equipment installed.
"Caversham Heights, as the name suggests, is on top of a hill, and this is precisely why access to our local park is so important for disabled children and adults."
"This is a well-loved community space, which, with some adaptations, could enable all to access it."
"Albert Road Recreation Ground should be a space for everyone. Please act now to make it inclusive."
The park had a £100,000 upgrade last year, including refurbished tennis courts, an improved car-park layout and a wheelchair-accessible entrance.
Adele Barnett-Ward (Labour), lead councillor for leisure, said: "We appreciate residents taking the time to highlight barriers faced by disabled children, young people, and adults. Creating safe, inclusive, and accessible public spaces is a priority for the Council and is reflected in our wider programme of investment in play areas across Reading."
"Albert Road Recreation Ground was one of my nearest playgrounds when my children were younger, so I know it very well and have spent a great deal of time there."
"I agree wholeheartedly that this park should be a space for everyone. I hope that the Council's strong recent record of investment in inclusive play demonstrates both our capability and our commitment."
"Our ambition for Albert Road Recreation Ground is for it to be a safe, accessible, and welcoming environment for all children and their families."
The council says mature tree roots make it hard to add equipment without losing trees; officers and the councillor will visit the park to look for solutions.
Cllr Isobel Ballsdon (Conservative) supports the campaign and has clashed with Labour over a leaflet headlined "Tory risk to trees".
She said: "This claim is both alarmist and untrue."
She added: "Our community-backed campaign to make Albert Road Recreation Ground accessible to all does not put any trees at risk."
She called for the distribution of the leaflet to be seized.
Labour leader Liz Terry said: "We always seek to make play areas as accessible as possible."
"The challenge in this case is that installing more equipment could risk harming trees, which made the upgrade more challenging than others we have planned. As for the letters, they are not currently being delivered because the mailout has been completed."
Cllr Ballsdon is standing for re-election. A vacancy followed the resignation of Sam Juthani (Labour, Caversham Heights) and Jo Musominari has been selected as a Labour candidate.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
