Your child’s favourite playground could be set to lose its swings, slide or see-saw.
Kirklees Council is embarking on a review of its hundreds of play areas – the first for 11 years.
It has claimed none will close but says it will have to remove equipment from some.
Playgrounds that have their equipment axed will be re-designed into play spaces.
A probe is set to start in the next few weeks with a hit list of parks to be cut decided by late October this year.
The review comes as a report by UK Active reveals almost one-in-three people in Kirklees do no exercise at all.
Parks that are revamped will be with an aim of moving away from providing metal equipment inside fenced and gated areas and increasing “natural play provision.”
The review will also consider bringing in playgrounds for senior citizens and play areas that parents and carers can use alongside their children.
With a total of 342 playgrounds, Kirklees has more than Leeds and Bradford combined.
The borough also has 12 skate parks, four more than Leeds.
A report by council officials says the importance of play equipment is acknowledged but is should no longer be the sole focus of a play area.
It says the burden of maintaining the equipment and fences has become “unsustainable” and admits many play areas are poor quality, no-longer compliant with industry or disability regulations and fail to cater for a wide age group of children.
The report says: “It is likely that most of our sites will see some changes to how they are currently.
“The changes involved will range from removal of play equipment and reprofiling of these areas into play spaces ... through to changes to equipped play areas to give, where possible, enhanced adventurous and multi-age play to cater for as many children, young people and adults as possible.
“Reducing the need for manufactured play equipment presents the opportunity to remove aging equipment and better utilise the existing stock of manufactured play equipment.”
A survey of all playgrounds is to be done by qualified inspectors with all items of equipment and the condition of the grounds rated using a traffic light system.
Councillors will then be invited to give their feedback before a public consultation is launched online and followed up with public meetings.
Senior councillors intend to decide what happens in early 2018.
