Funding sought to revamp park with crazy golf

Funding is being sought to revamp Selby Park with a new crazy golf course, climbing boulders and lawn games.

North Yorkshire Council is to submit a £49,999 grant application to help pay for the Rock and Roll project.

Plans for the scheme include a nine-hole crazy golf course, lawn games such as croquet and giant Jenga, extra seating, improved signage and upgraded lighting.

According to the council report, the current mini golf course is more than 30 years old and has fallen into disrepair after years without significant maintenance.

The replacement course would be designed around Selby's heritage and culture using low-maintenance materials. Equipment hire would continue to generate income for the park, it said.

The project would also introduce climbing boulders suitable for unsupervised use by children and adults.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the total cost of the project is estimated at £228,542, with £178,542 already allocated from council regeneration funding.

The funding application will be submitted to the Movement, Activity and Sport fund which uses money from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority but is administered by North Yorkshire Sport.

If the grant application is unsuccessful, the council said the scheme would still proceed, although the climbing boulders would be removed from the plans.

The proposed scheme forms part of the wider Selby Park Development Project, which aims to improve the town centre park and strengthen links between the Selby Station Gateway scheme and Selby town centre.

The funding bid was welcomed by Selby West division councillor, Steve Shaw-Wright, who said any investment was better than no investment.

However, the Labour councillor said the application highlighted the "woeful negligence of both Selby District and North Yorkshire Council in Selby in general and the park in particular".

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