Challenge

In 1840, a stone was unearthed during the building of St Mark’s Church in Horsham, 40 miles south of London. Local Quaker and archaeologist, George Bax Holmes, identified the discovery as the fossilised bones of a dinosaur.

Now, some 175 years on, a brand new theme park has opened in Horsham. At its core, is the actual fossil from that plant eating dinosaur, known as the Great Iguanodon.

In April 2014, eibe sales co-ordinator Stuart Evans picked up a Google Alert message that Horsham District Council were looking to build a Dinosaur Park to celebrate its local history. Conveniently on his proverbial doorstep, Evans arranged an initial consultation visit with Anna Chapman, Horsham District Council’s Parks & Countryside Manager. The plan was to build a children’s play area, full of tailored prehistoric themed equipment, which commemorated Horsham’s heritage. eibe Play, with its environmental ethos, sustainable manufacturing process and innovative designs offered the perfect solution.

Solution

'Dinosaur Island' is a brand new adventure play area for Horsham Country Park. The previously run-down recreation space now features an array of fantastic play equipment, special effects such as an active volcano, red hot lava flows, a tar quagmire, a dinosaur swamp and a prehistoric jungle. It is a delightful themed playspace that commemorates a past age. It is sure to keep children entertained for many years in the future.

Anna Chapman was grateful for eibe’s dedication to the cause and paid special tribute to our suppliers RJ Playground Services:

“The installation team’s service was really good. Indeed, so was the helpful contact from the entire eibe team.”

The £140,000 playspace hosts a paradiso predator’s trap, dinosaur slides, balancing trails, nest swing, toddler and tyre swings, a rope tree walk, stand-up seesaw, a sand construction unit, an obstacle course and the all-important dinosaur sandpit featuring that iguanodon fossil.

Outcome

In June 2015, one year after the initial discussions originally took place; Southwater Country Park welcomed its first visitors to Dinosaur Island. Although the official opening was not scheduled until July, the council did not want to miss the spring half-term holiday and the opportunity for children to get an early taster of the adventuresome fun that could be had.

Just seven days in and Anna Chapman is already delighted: “The park has been really popular in the first week. The equipment is very good quality.”