The impassioned pleas of children wanting to retain two much-loved adventure playgrounds were ignored last night as the imminent closure of the facilities was confirmed.

Children holding banners and placards voiced their opposition to Watford Borough Council's plans outlined in July to dismantle the staff-supervised Harwoods and Harebreaks adventure playgrounds.

As Dorothy Thornhill announced the decision on Monday night, the children, waving their banners, crowded round Watford’s Elected Mayor chanting “shame on you”.

Plans for a complete overhaul of the two sites – to the tune of around £1.4 million – have been proposed by the council to plug the leisure gap left by the demolition of the Vicarage Road and Leggatts Way parks.

But a group of detemined parents are refusing to accept the council’s ruling and have proposed to take over the running of the facilities under charity status, threatening legal action if their demands are not at least considered.

READ MORE: Council announce decision to demolish adventure playgrounds

READ MORE: 'Children were crying' when they found out about closures

Any legal challenge put forward by the Save Watford’s Adventure Playgrounds group (SWAP) could take up to a year to resolve. In the meantime, the future of the playgrounds hangs in the balance.

Watford Observer:

Sophie Wilson is happy to let her nine and ten year old children use the playgrounds because she says they provide a “safe and secure environment” for them to play in.

“I know I can leave my children there and they will be supervised. They will be okay if the parks close because we’ve got a garden but people living in flats have got nowhere to go.

"It’s not safe to let your children out on the street with the crime and drug dealing in Watford,” she said.

“We knew this decision was going to be rubberstamped even before it went though. They only announced they would be doing a public consultation after they proposed the closures at the first Cabinet meeting.

“We served legal papers and they said they had looked at the proposal again but weren’t taking into consideration crime or vulnerable children. This is what it is all about: having a safe space for children to play unsupervised.

“We’re taking them to court, our lawyers think we’ve got a case.”

Louise Applebaum, who also attended the meeting, commented: “Overseen by dedicated and compassionate staff, the old-style sites are a hub for many working class and vulnerable children.

“They provide not just a place where five to 15 year old kids can challenge themselves physically but, because there are also youth clubs, places where they can bond with and enjoy the camaraderie of other children, read, paint and create.

“There are no other youth facilities like this in the town.”

She was also very critical of the mayor’s demeanour at the meeting, saying some people who attended were treated with such condescendence by Thornhill that they “left early, almost in tears”.

Councillor Nigel Bell added that the decision was “a confirmation of an out-of-touch mayor and Lib Dem council not listening to their residents, and letting down so many children in our town”.

As the plans stand, both adventure playgrounds will be completely demolished.

The council says it wants to provide modern, enhanced play equipment that is open to all, all year round – but explains “it also has to find significant financial savings in its revenue budget”.

The annual cost of the current Play Service is approximately £375,000.

All existing 19 play staff have been served notices to terminate their employment. However a new post has been created to lead on commissioning the programme of play activities in the Easter and summer holidays.   

Councillor Karen Collett, responsible for community, said: “We understand that these sites have been very important to those who have used them over the years, and we also know that being able to enjoy good quality play facilities and activities are a fundamental part of growing up. 

"This is why it was important for us to look at the new information that had been presented and to give consideration to the issues it raised. 

"The decision to go ahead with the transformation of play services and the £1.4 million investment in Harwoods and Harebreaks shows our commitment to securing both sites for our young people and also ensures we are putting adventurous, challenging and fun play on the map, here in Watford.

"I am confident that both sites will be well-used and well-loved for many years to come.”

The Harwoods planning application consists of simply replacing the equipment on the existing site whereas the Harebreaks application proposes to remove all equipment and buildings, leaving the woodland to regenerate, and to create a new adventure playground in another part of the same wood nearby.

However the new facilities will only be supervised six weeks of the year – two at Easter and four in the summer holidays – meaning parents will not be able to safely leave their offspring there year-round.

The council’s planning applications state the new sites “can be enjoyed by children with their parents and by young people, without the need for on-site staff”.