Prince Charles had opened an adventure playground Thursday. Three days later it had to close due to safety concerns regarding a suspension bridge.
The playground is located at Dumfries House in East Ayrshire – which is the headquarters of The Prince’s Foundation – and features a large central play tower made from sustainably-sourced English chestnut.
The suspension bridge was damaged by a broken tension wire, according to the experts.
Social media followers of the estate speculated on the source of the problem.
One said that there were too many people crossing the bridge, and that adults were jumping all over it. A lady working at the site also stated that a wire had come loose.
Three days after its opening, part of the park had to be closed due to safety fears regarding a suspension bridge.
A rustic wooden playground with rope bridges, netting tunnel, two side by side racing slides, and a tube slide is featured in the picture.
Charles believes in understanding the balance, order and relationships that exist between us and the natural environment. This inspired the design of the playground.
A rustic wood playground measuring 300 m2 is situated six metres above the Dumfries House estate.
According to the estate, it stated that “a temporary closure of a section of our Adventure Playground is necessary as a precaution after an earlier fault was found (Sat).
“We expect to reopen all play areas by the next weekend (January 29, 30), but we welcome young adventurers to use the zip wire, climbing frame, and chute while they wait. We also have the Engineering Playground nearby.
We made the decision to temporarily shut down a section of Adventure Playground in order to protect the safety of our visitors.
The royal is pictured here with Muirkirk Primary School children. It was believed that the royal enjoyed seeing the youngsters exploring the park upon its opening
Muirkirk Primary School pupils and The Prince of Wales, together in an adventure playground for children that is nature-based
CAP.Co engineers are working on repairs.
Simon Egan, of Creating Adventurous Places. (CAP.Co), said that the Adventure Playground was temporarily shut down today due to a technical problem with one of its features. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
As part of his commitment to promoting the positive effects of learning and play based on nature, Prince Charles inaugurated the Dumfries House nature-based playground last week.
It was specifically created to make the most of the estate’s wooded terrain. The park will allow local kids and tourists to enjoy the benefits of nature while having fun. There is no charge to enjoy the attraction, which is located beside the Coach House Café.
While the tower’s design complements the 35-metre tall Sequoia Redwoods trees nearby, it also provides an aerial view of the traditional maze that opened in summer 2016. It was inspired by Charles’s childhood Sandringham trips.
The plans for the park were submitted last March to the council. They were approved in May by the planning officers.
To resolve safety concerns with suspension bridges, engineers were called to the scene.
The playpark features two slides that race and several interactive elements to encourage families of different ages and abilities. It also includes a finger maze made of wood, which is an exact replica of Dumfries House’s wooden maze.
Charles took part in the excitement last week when Muirkirk Primary School students explored the new playground.
Charles chatted with children as they climbed around.
‘Have you enjoyed it? Did you do the entire thing? What do you enjoy the most? It’s all great!
Charles giggled as he saw a boy leap from height to ground before him, and pointed out that this was what he liked to watch.
This initiative follows the lead of the Duchess, who is a major champion for outdoor play in woodlands.
Kate created a Back to Nature garden at the Chelsea Flower Show 2019 that featured a treehouse, waterfall, rustic den, and campfire.
She believes that children can be happier and healthier if they spend time outdoors. Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte are examples of this.
Inspired by her garden’s design, the duchess opened RHS Wisley, Surrey, to house a playground for children. It featured a rope swing and hideaway, as well as a treehouse.
CAP.Co was also involved in the creation of the Queen’s Sandringham adventure playground.
The prince led a consortium of charities and the Scottish Government to save Dumfries House ‘for the nation’ with a last-ditch £45 million purchase in 2007, with his own charitable foundation contributing £20 million.