Highfield Residents Action Group is starting a petition against plans for the children's facility in Highfield Park, saying they believe it will lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour.
Another blow to the scheme, put forward last year by two High School pupils, is there is no funding for it in Ribble Valley Borough Council's current
financial year.
Coun Ken Hind, Longridge's Dilworth representative at Ribble Valley, has said a first step towards resolving the cash issue would be to form a youth group of potential users who could apply to Lancashire County Council for a grant for equipment.
But some residents are resolutely against the plan and their spokesman, Nancy Umpleby, said: "Our main objections are the possibility of anti-social behaviour, the park's limited space and the terrible condition of the ground.
"Children do go there to play, fly kites, enjoy games and cricket."
She added: "It's a place for free and imaginative play. It was a delight to see the families sledging in the snow, going right down from the top of the park's hill and having an absolute ball."
Mrs Umpleby said the petition had gone out this week to houses in the immediate vicinity of the park, including Highfield Drive, Risedale Drive and Apsley Fold, "to those who will be affected by the result of these proposed changes".
Coun Hind felt consultation with the police and safeguards for householders and Alston View residents would avoid any difficult situations.
He added he, County Coun David Smith and Longridge's Councillor David Moon – who is mentor for the two high school proposers – would help to form the group and assist with grant applications.
He said: "We would press the case for an allocation of resources. The result will be more and better use of Highfield Park to also benefit local residents."
Despite Ribble Valley borough's lack of funding, Longridge council decided last month to investigate further financing possibilities and then go back to the borough council with these in place.
The play area project, put forward by LHS pupils Daniel Slater and Daniel Dewhurst with Coun Moon's backing, aroused some support as well as opposition among residents.
To find out what their concerns were, Longridge council issued 626 questionnaires in October and the results were read out at the December meeting by clerk, Shona Thurlow.
They revealed that out of all the questionnaires delivered, just 110 - 19% - were completed and of those 59 (54%) said yes to the playpark proposals and 47 (43%) said no.
Replies from supporters of the scheme showed that 23 had grandchildren who would use the facilities, and non-supporters had children and grandchildren who both would and would not use the area.
Local police had replied that they currently had no problems on the site. They said that a play area would be a positive way of keeping children off the streets and, if it went ahead, they would police it to the best of their ability to keep problems to a minimum.
Among the concerns and fears expressed in the questionnaires were concerns over anti-social behaviour, bullying and potential for vandalism.

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