Post by admin on Sept 1, 2006 22:04:05 GMT 1
A new children’s play area is at the heart of plans to improve Rawtenstall’s Whitaker Park and win the prized Green Flag Award. The Green Flag Award is the national standard for excellent parks and green spaces in England and Wales.
The Whitaker Park Action Group held a consultation event at Rossendale Museum in July to discuss ideas for the park's development and considered three designs which had been drawn up by Groundwork.
Two of the options placed the play area at the site of the current toddler play area and the third option suggested developing it around the existing swings. Sketches showed options with traditional equipment and rubber surfacing and options with using natural materials such as timber equipment, bark and sand surfacing. Initial feedback so far suggests that these two areas should be combined to make the play area twice the size with large innovative play equipment.
Plans for improvements at the park are still at a very early stage and everyone is invited to have their say on what should be done at the park. The plans can be viewed in Groundwork's offices at New Hall Hey by appointment. The improvements at Whitaker Park will be phased over the next few years depending on the outcome of consultation work and subject to successful fundraising efforts by all partners including Groundwork Rossendale and Rossendale Council.
The park is one of the largest parks in Rossendale and close to tourist links such as the East Lancashire Railway and has the potential to attract more people to visit.
Cllr Judith Driver, Cabinet Member said: "Rossendale Council is very keen to ensure that Whitaker Park once again becomes a jewel in Rossendale's crown. We want local people to have their say about how the park should be developed."
Contact: Rachael Marsden (Landscape Architect) 01706 233535 or Resma Patel (Senior Community Project Officer) 01706 233539 at Groundwork Rossendale.
The Whitaker Park Action Group held a consultation event at Rossendale Museum in July to discuss ideas for the park's development and considered three designs which had been drawn up by Groundwork.
Two of the options placed the play area at the site of the current toddler play area and the third option suggested developing it around the existing swings. Sketches showed options with traditional equipment and rubber surfacing and options with using natural materials such as timber equipment, bark and sand surfacing. Initial feedback so far suggests that these two areas should be combined to make the play area twice the size with large innovative play equipment.
Plans for improvements at the park are still at a very early stage and everyone is invited to have their say on what should be done at the park. The plans can be viewed in Groundwork's offices at New Hall Hey by appointment. The improvements at Whitaker Park will be phased over the next few years depending on the outcome of consultation work and subject to successful fundraising efforts by all partners including Groundwork Rossendale and Rossendale Council.
The park is one of the largest parks in Rossendale and close to tourist links such as the East Lancashire Railway and has the potential to attract more people to visit.
Cllr Judith Driver, Cabinet Member said: "Rossendale Council is very keen to ensure that Whitaker Park once again becomes a jewel in Rossendale's crown. We want local people to have their say about how the park should be developed."
Contact: Rachael Marsden (Landscape Architect) 01706 233535 or Resma Patel (Senior Community Project Officer) 01706 233539 at Groundwork Rossendale.
