Good evening slimassasin.

I agree with you when you say the Memorial Park is looking uncared for.

This is very surprising as there is £230,000 available to spend on improving the park and a further £250,000 available for purposes not yet disclosed.

I will ask the question again. Does anyone know what has happened to the £478,000 received from the Heritage Lottery grant?

Even Chairman Jon the Whaley One goes surprisingly quiet when this question is raised.

 

The memorial will not be finished as the publicity says the Jodrell car park will be the venue again. I venture to the park on a very ad hoc basis but I could not believe what I was seeing when I went there this week - it's an absolute disgrace and someone should be taken to task about it. I know the weather has been dreadful but it could still have been tidied even if the grass could not be cut - most people seem to have been able to keep on top of their gardens.

I'm quite interested in knowing when our playground is going to be developed, both as the father of a 2 year old and as the brother of one of Trafford council's landscape architects who told me that the budget is around 10 times larger than he would typically have to spend on a playground / park of this size. I've been expecting something mindblowing, but am concerned that there has been no progress. Who is sat on all this money?

Thanks for the info Barry, I'll make contact and find out the latest news. Fingers crossed they'll start building soon, it would be nice to see more children using the playground.

You should head along to Manchester, they've got a park for people like you. All pristine and neat. Take a look here... http://savealexandraparkstrees.wordpress.com/

Yes H.E. I certainly will be doing that,do we ever see anything get done that these people say there going to do,have a think anything at all.

Hi,
I'm also glad the work appears to be getting under way after nearly 3 years since the funding was approved by the Heritage Lottery fund, and around 7 years since they started applying for the funding. The park has suffered in the meantime.

However, work is starting with the removal of the existing childrens play equipment right at the start of the Summer Holidays, and there is no date given as to when installation of the new equipment will take place. I have asked HPBC when exactly the new stuff will be installed, but have not yet had a reply. I am sincerely hoping that the play equipment doesn't get removed at the start of the summer holidays, with nothing happening for months thereafter.
It does appear that the play area may be out of action over summer.

Regarding the bridge, this was surveyed and I believe found to be towards the end of its life and in need of replacement. I suspect that it may have been possible to renovate it just to delay the inevitable, but I believe the new bridge is going to be wider and more disabled friendly. I think the new bridge may already have been purchased.

The press release below from HPBC was received yesterday.
Cheers Jon.

   
19 June 2013                                                                                               13-047
Work set to start at Whaley park
Work is set to start next week on preparing the Memorial Park in Whaley Bridge for a major restoration and improvement project.
 
Funding of £478,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund was awarded to the park for a programme of work to restore its original layout and landscaping works to preserve the natural environment.
 
High Peak Borough Council will begin dismantling and removing the existing play equipment at the park in readiness for the main restoration and improvement works.
 
Councillor Godrey Claff, executive member for regeneration, said: “This is an important milestone for this exciting project as we prepare the park for the main works which are due to start soon.
 
“We do, of course, recognise that the park is well loved and used by local people and will endeavour to minimise disruption as we remove the old play equipment.”
 
The park was created in 1920 to commemorate the loss of 108 men in the First World War. It provides a pleasant link between residential properties and the town’s shops and schools.
 
Plans for the park include restoring the war memorial, improving the entrances, installing a new bridge and play equipment and maintaining woodland and wildlife habitat including new planting to reflect original features.