Childrens’ Play Area on the Heath re-opened

Over £100,000 donated to renovate what was a tired looking play area

On the 3rd February 2024 the renovated play area was opened by local MP, Daisy Cooper. On the right is David Pearce, who along with an enthusiastic group of parents faced a formidable task of collecting over £100,000 to fund the installation of new play equipment, some which is shown in the background.

The event was attended by a large group of adults and children shown above. Enthusiastic children seemed desperate to get in to the area after the opening. Read more about the event on the Lets Play on Bernards Heath website. Very well done everyone involved.

The new swings in the play area are now finished and mark the completion of the project.
Photo: DP


Work starts to refurbish the playground on the Heath

“It is happening at last! The playground is closed for work to begin on its refurbishment.

Click on an image and use > or < keys to navigate. Click X (top right) to exit.

The target of £100,000 is now just a whisker away, a fantastic effort by the whole community!

With the refurbishment underway, the new playground will be ready in January, well before the Spring deadline. 

Let’s Play at Bernards Heath would like to thank all those who have donated to help make this dream a reality.”

Photos and text: DP


Let’s play on Bernards Heath

Let’s Play on Bernards Heath is a charity founded to update the existing play area on the Heath.

This is your opportunity to influence the look of the playground , get involved and chat to our Trustees and St Albans District Council.

Kids welcome too! We have wooden games, sweets and refreshments available.

Saturday, 1st February 2020
St Saviours Church Hall
       2 – 4 pm

Click on image for a larger version and here for a link to the website

Lets Play at Bernards Heath Website launch

Let’s Play at Bernards Heath is a new fund-raising charity, formed to make a lasting change to the existing tired playground on Bernards Heath. For more information see the website.  You can support the charity by going to the website and in other ways too.

This really nice logo for the charity was designed by a child at Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School. Read more ›

Continue reading “Lets Play at Bernards Heath Website launch”

Temporary closure of Children’s Play Area

To supplement the survey work that Hertfordshire County Council  has carried out on the land it owns at Bernards Heath, St Albans City and District Council has similar survey works underway on adjacent common land that it manages. 

To supplement the survey work that Hertfordshire County Council  has carried out on the land it owns at Bernards Heath, St Albans City and District Council has similar survey works underway on adjacent common land that it manages.  While this work is underway, the playground will be closed from Monday 21 December for a short period. The Council will open the playground again as soon as possible.

Richard Shwe
Head of Community Services,
St. Albans City & District Council

Friends of Bernards Heath – Community Playground Project

The Friends of Bernards Heath would like to work together with the local community to seek improvements to the current playground facilities located on Bernards Heath. The need for this is typified by the current state of the roundabout (left) which is broken.

It is our intention to reach out to everyone who uses this attractive communal area, to have their say in what improvements could be made for the benefit of all, with the least impact upon local residents.

Bernards Heath is an attractive and much used corner of St Albans; appealing greatly to children, parents, dog-walkers, sports enthusiasts, nature lovers and historians a-like.

Playgrounds for children aged 1-16 are very limited in this region of the city. Excellent examples of park equipment exist in other areas of St Albans, which include a wide variety of apparatus suitable for children of all ages and also include adult fitness facilities…. so why not here?

The current play area – brightly coloured, but a dated look.
Aerial view with play area (see red arrow)

Therefore, it is our aim to work with St Albans City Council to make improvements to the playground and other facilities found on the Heath.

Update: Support for this project has now passed to Let’s Play on Bernards Heath.