St Georges Park in Great Yarmouth has won a prestigious Green Flag Award from the Civic Trust. The Victorian Park is the only formal park in the County to have achieved this accolade, and joins Holt Country Park in North Norfolk in this year’s list of winners.
A record 743 green spaces across the country, all freely accessible to the public, have received a Green Flag Award - the national standard for quality parks and green spaces. Winners are judged to be welcoming and well maintained with the support and involvement of the local community.
The Park is currently coming to the end of a £2 million refurbishment scheme which has seen improved lighting and security, new play equipment, seating and bins, resurfacing of footways and new planting.
This year’s winners were announced from Green Flag Award-winning Bellingham Green, in an area of Lewisham highlighted by government as a transformed area of regeneration, demonstrating how residents working together with public agencies can transform deprived neighbourhoods. The Green is vibrant, lively and has significantly improved the livelihood and well-being of the local community.
Councillor Jim Shrimplin, who chaired the Project Board overseeing the scheme, said “This award is further recognition of the significant improvements now taking place throughout the Borough. The use of a Project Board which involved all stakeholders in the decision making process throughout the development and implementation of the scheme was a perfect example of how working in partnership and listening to what people say can achieve significant result.”
Simon Mutten, Environmental Strategy Manager for the Borough Council said: “The award of the Green Flag is gratifying because it provides external validation of the improvements that have been made, not only through the refurbishment project, but also in how we manage and maintain the park now and in the future for the benefit of both residents and visitors. When the Judges visited the park they were particularly struck by just how many people were using it.”
He added that there had been significant community involvement in the project. “We had more than 1,700 responses when we asked people what they wanted from the Park. That, and the Friends of St Georges Park, were a big influence in the design aspects.”
The refurbishment scheme, which also included improvements to Trafalgar Road was undertaken by the Borough and County Councils in partnership with Mott MacDonald, May Gurney and GYB Services, the latter of whom is also responsible for day to day maintenance of the site.
The Council are now working with the Neighbourhood Management Team on ways of continuing Community involvement in the Park.
Paul Todd, Green Flag Award scheme Application Manager, said: “The increasing number of Green Flag Award winning parks and green spaces highlight the important role they play in bringing people together and improving their quality of life. Congratulations to all the management, staff, and in particular, thousands of volunteers whose hard work and dedication has brought this award of excellence.”
This year’s winners will celebrate their achievements and collect their flags at a major ceremony in Liverpool on Thursday July 24.
A ceremony to raise the flag in St Georges Park will be arranged within the next two weeks.
For information on all winners please visit: www.greenflagaward.org.uk
GYBC contact:
Simon Mutten, Environmental Strategy Manager 01493 846449.
Civic Trust Press contacts:
Sarah Egerton: 07811 726 534 E: segerton@civictrust.org.uk
Caroline Williams: 0151 231 6903 E: cwilliams@civictrust.org.uk