West Kilbride SNP Councillor Joy Brahim has issued a call for community groups in West Kilbride to take over Craufurd Avenue play park, following a notice of closure given by North Ayrshire Council’s Place department.
At its budget setting meeting on 9 December 2014, North Ayrshire Council agreed to reduce its play park budget by £50,000 and remove 46 play parks in financial year of 2017/18, including Craufurd Avenue.
Following discussions with Meadowfoot Tenants and Residents Association in early 2017, council officers then agreed to delay closure of Craufurd Avenue play park, in order that it could potentially benefit from an upgrade through Estate Based Project funding while arrangements were made within the community to take over. 
However, no application was made and no take over has been achieved to date. 
Since the notification was issued to close Craufurd Avenue play park on 31 January, Cllr Brahim has been in a dialogue with council officers in the Place and Economy & Communities departments to try and find a solution to keep the play park open. 
Further to her meeting at Cunninghame House with council officers along with community activist Kay Hall and Jim McDaid of Meadowfoot Tenants and Residents Association, NAC agreed to temporarily delay closure in a bid to give community groups a chance to express an interest in taking over through a Community Asset Transfer.
Cllr Brahim commented: “Unfortunately we are now in a position where NAC will proceed with the planned closure if no community, voluntary or social enterprise group has registered an interest in taking over Craufurd Avenue play park by Friday 23 February. 
“I am sure there will be a group that sees this as a positive and feasible project, in the same way as the Lamlash community did on Arran. Once a transfer has been realised this would open up possibilities of attracting for external funding to make improvements, bringing the play park up to a standard to which North Ayrshire Council is unable to take it in the near future.”
“It would be a terrible shame to lose the play park despite the year-long extension and I urge community groups to contact me if they wish to pursue this further."