CAMPAIGNERS will find out tomorrow if they have won their battle to improve the Hawke Road play area.Parents have been fighting for three years to upgrade the facilities and the proposal will be discussed at an Ipswich Council Community Improvements meeting to see if the project can get the remaining funding.

CAMPAIGNERS will find out tomorrow if they have won their battle to improve the Hawke Road play area.

Parents have been fighting for three years to upgrade the facilities and the proposal will be discussed at an Ipswich Council Community Improvements meeting to see if the project can get the remaining funding.

If successful, new play equipment, a picnic area and extra litterbins would be installed while the land would also be resurfaced.

The total cost of the scheme is £53,000 with £15,000 already been received - £10,000 from the Tenants Fund and £5,000 from the All Hallows Area Housing Forum.

In August 2001, the Greenwich Community Group made a presentation to the council asking for money to fund a community building on the Greenwich estate and £100,000 was set aside for this scheme.

However, the group disbanded in April and the members thought the money would be better spent on improving the play area.

If the council approve the proposal, then £38,000 would go towards Hawke Road and the rest of the £100,000 would go back in the Community Improvements budget.

Suffolk County Councillor Bill Quinton, who represents Gainsborough, feels the improved play area would be a boost to the community. He said: "It will be an asset to the area because it will give the children something extra to do.

"It will belong to them and it will give them something to look after and be proud of."

Gainsborough borough councillor John Mowles added: "There is some play equipment there but part of the surface is rough so you would hurt your legs if you fall on that. "Over the last two or three years people have been talking about it but at long last it looks like something will be happening.

"We are confident the proposal will be supported by the community improvements group and by the executive."

n What do you think of the plans to update the Hawke Road play area? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk or visit the forum at www.eveningstar.co.uk

n If you have a story from the south east of Ipswich then contact Michael Emons on 01473 324797, send an e-mail to michael.emons@eveningstar.co.uk or write to the Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.