A newly refurbished crazy golf course has officially opened at Stamford Park, giving children, young people, and families the chance to have a “hole lot of fun” while enjoying one of Tameside’s best-loved green spaces.
The project was made possible through Tameside Futures, part of Tameside Council’s Employment & Skills service, working in partnership with The Growth Company. Over the summer holidays, 11 local young people got hands-on with the refurbishment, gaining valuable skills through a social activity designed to benefit both them and the wider community.
The revamped nine-hole course is now an added attraction for Stamford Park and is open to the public during Café Pavilion opening hours:
10am–4pm during summer
10am–3pm during winter
It costs £3 per person to play, with payment, clubs and balls available at the café. From Sunday 30 October, café and toilet facilities will close at 3pm daily through the winter months, with opening hours also subject to weather.
The course is being managed day-to-day by Dylan, 18, from Ashton-under-Lyne, who was part of the volunteer team that helped bring the project to life.
Dylan said: “It was great to be a part of the volunteering team and now keeping the course clean and tidy, which involves coming down every day to the park.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting the people who have said the course has brought back memories, with a couple of older people coming up to me saying they remember when it was up there, and now it’s here!”
Another young participant reflected on the hard work behind the scenes: “We created the ramps and the golf assault course from scratch, chopped them down, painted them and came to stack them up. It feels like it has made a great change to the community because people are now out playing golf. My favourite part is seeing people play on the course.”
The project forms part of Tameside Futures’ mission to support young people aged 16–18 (or up to 24 depending on circumstances) who are not in education, employment or training. By working with employers, colleges, charities and training providers, the scheme helps young people find the right opportunities to build confidence and progress towards their goals.
Now funded by the Flexible Local Grant Scheme, Tameside Futures is also working to upskill adults with low qualifications, support disadvantaged groups into employment, and reduce economic inactivity through tailored support.
Cllr Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Culture, praised both the project and the young people involved: “It is fantastic to see such a brilliant activity open up in one of our local parks that is open to not only families but young people and anyone that would like to have a bit of fun.
“I’d like to take the time to thank the young people who were involved in refurbishing the course and creating obstacles – it looks great!”
With the new course now open, visitors to Stamford Park can enjoy a fun and affordable activity while supporting the work of young people making a difference in their community.
For more information about the Tameside Futures programme: https://www.tameside.gov.uk/tamesidefutures
To explore more of Tameside’s parks and greenspaces: https://www.tameside.gov.uk/greenspace?platform=hootsuite
