QUEENSPARK – BETTER THAN
EVER THANKS TO BOROUGH FUNDING
0038/IR
4th March 2008
At the Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council budget meeting on
Wednesday 27th February, the Board recommended a massive
injection of capital into the restoration project at Queen’s Park.
The proposal was carried by a comfortable majority and means
that the project, which was initiated by the previous
administration, can continue. The result is that the Borough
Council is now putting some £6.5m into the project – a big advance
on the budget which was inherited from the last administration.
That amounted to only £3.8m (£2.8m came from the Heritage
Lottery Fund).
Cllr Brian Silvester, Leader of the Council,
said: “I am delighted that, through prudent management of the
council’s finances, we have managed to find the capital for this
flagship project. The people of Crewe and throughout the
borough will have a public park which will be in the front rank of
the North West and, indeed, the country as a whole. When
completed the park will satisfy the harshest critics and make our
residents proud.”
Cllr Bill McGinnis, Portfolio Holder for
Leisure, added: “Everyone involved in the project wants
to do the very best they can and this injection of capital will
mean that there will be a brand new pavilion as a focal point, a
new bowling pavilion and a maintenance depot on site, together with
a whole host of other improvements. I must say that, contrary
to reports in some newspapers and letters pages, the project is
well up to schedule and we expect completion ahead of time.
Our thanks are due to the Heritage Lottery Fund which
provided the initial grant and gave impetus to the restoration
project.”
The dredging of silt from
the lake has now been completed, most of the tree clearance work
has been carried out as have some of the demolition works.
The Masterplan Design and detailed drawings for the new
bridges and the bandstand are complete and have been agreed with
the Heritage Lottery Fund Monitors. The bridges have been granted
planning permission and a planning application for the gates and
railings is to be submitted shortly.
Allan Leah, Project Officer for the scheme, is
delighted that a fully comprehensive park restoration project will
now be carried out with substantial new investment from the Borough
Council to match the generous Heritage Lottery Fund grant. He
said: “This means that the architect designed new bridges will be
built without having to compromise on quality and additional works
will be carried out to add to the Heritage Lottery Fund programme
of eligible works.”
ENDS
From Left to Right;
Cllr Brian Silvester (Leader of the Council)
Cllr Bill McGinnis (Portfolio Holder for Leisure)
Cllr John Hammond (Portfolio Holder for the Local
Environment)
Cllr Eddie Ankers (Councillor for Waldron Ward)
Allan Leah (Project Officer Queens Park Restoration)
For Media Enquiries:
Ian Richardson - 01270 537018
news.views@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk