Hednesford Park's £2.3m boost gets backing
The £2.3million revival of Hednesford Park was today confirmed after lottery funding was secured to bankroll the project.
Delighted council bosses have revealed bids for Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund backing have been successful, paving the way for work to start next year.
The pavilion will be extended to two storeys, featuring a community room, balcony and ground floor café, while a state-of-the-art skate park, new play areas and an outdoor gym will be installed.
Gates, pillars and the listed war memorial will be restored and extra parking will be added to cater for an expected surge in numbers using the park. Culture and sport leader Councillor Christine Mitchell said she was "delighted" to secure the cash. "Hednesford Park is at the heart of the community and has been for generations. The funding means that we can now deliver a wonderful park fit for the 21st century that builds on its history and heritage," she said.
Council leader George Adamson added: "This is a wonderful early Christmas present for the people of Hednesford and is the green light for our exciting plans.
"The park is already well used and popular with local people and the major improvements will make it even better for them. Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation over the summer and got involved in shaping our plans.
And a big thank you to the Friends of Hednesford Park, who played a major part in our bid for the funding."
Heritage Lottery Fund chief executive Carole Souter said competition for cash had been fierce. "We're delighted to be bringing a bit of seasonal cheer to a number of popular parks, including Hednesford Park, especially as demand for funding continues to be very high," she said.
Thousands of people responded to a consultation over the park revamp proposals earlier this year. Hednesford Park opened in 1931 and was developed using money being raised through a coal levy. One penny per ton produced by local mines was levied, raising £15,000.
The cash boost is the latest shot in the arm for Hednesford, where a huge new Tesco has opened as part of the £50m regeneration of the town.
Further work to redevelop the Victoria Shopping Park is continuing. And pub giant JD Wetherspoon is in talks to take over the historic Anglesey Lodge and turn the building into a pub, a move which is being welcomed by councillors.
