Funding further delays play park refurbishment

A children's play area at a bowling green in the south of the Isle of Man earmarked for a revamp will remain shut due to a lack of funding in the current year, the local authority has said.

Castletown Commissioners said the original £50,000 set aside for replacement play equipment at the Bowling Green was "inadequate" and costs would be "substantially greater" than budgeted.

The funds needed to complete the project would be allocated in the 2026-27 budget, but that had "created a delay in progressing the works involved to undertake the project".

The authority said it was "endeavouring to have the play area opened during the summer months", but could not yet provide a date for the re-opening.

The works would go out to tender for professional services for the removal and installation of the equipment, the authority said, but the park would remain shut in the meantime

More equipment had been ordered for the site which included swings, it added.

The site was originally due to re-opened last summer.

Apologising for the delay, the board said: "we can assure residents that it is a top priority project, and we are committed to its completion as soon as possible."

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