As has become an annual tradition, following the news that Crawley had been re-awarded all six of its Green Flags for its parks, I had the delight of recently going around all the winning parks with Cabinet Member for Leisure and Wellbeing Chris Mullins to thank and recognise our parks and neighbourhood services teams for their tremendous achievement. And with the end of Love Parks Week, the perfect time to remind people locally of the jewels in Crawley’s crown.
Visiting any of our parks is a constant joy, and it is all down to the work of our committed teams, the councillors are all very supportive and we consistently work to ensure they have the resources they need, but we are very aware it is not us who have to be up at an unearthly hour, cutting the grass and clearing any discarded litter, among many other tasks, so I pay tribute to all of them. It is very rarely the case that I attend any of our parks, even at random on a very ordinary day, and they are anything other than immaculate.
The Green Flag is the international quality mark for well maintained parks and green spaces. There are 42 of these parks in Sussex, of which six are Crawley Borough Council parks, so we punch well above our weight here.
Coming this summer to Tilgate Park, a marvellous observation wheel will allow unrivalled views of the entire park, it recently held the Race For Life, as well as weekly Park Runs, to the backdrop of the beautiful lakes, and attractions such as the Walled Garden, Peace Garden, Go Ape, a maze and many beautiful walks. The Zoo with its wide variety of animals and a beautiful Boardwalk. Earlier this year we Introduced the very popular Car Boot Sale. All set next to a beautiful forest recognised by the Woodland Trust for its quality and its management. There are plans for more investment, watch this space, but in the meantime join us later in September for a wonderful celebration of Tilgate Park’s 60th birthday year.
We later went to Goffs Park with its new pathways, a sensory garden, new visitors’ boards, footgolf, outdoor gym and tree trail. Goffs Park House restored to its former glory. The plans are moving forward for something very special indeed, for this much loved park, Crawley’s original. One of the best venues for outdoor events in Crawley, it will soon be hosting Crawley Pride.
Then at Worth Park, where I had the pleasure to go on a health walk earlier in the year, we saw the fountain still in fine working order, made of finest Pulhamite! Also reawarded its Heritage Park status, this much loved Victorian park, previously owned by the Montefiore family, has been the pride of many living in the east of the borough for a long time. Our parks team has been a widely recognised innovator in growing flowers, plants and shrubs which are more drought resistant but still a feast for the eyes.
We then dropped by the Ifield Mill Pond at the Bewbush end to be greeted by a “United Nation of Birds”, the geese were particularly interested in the visitors when we arrived! A walk around the pond, or across the stunning Boardwalk is well worth a trip, and very memorable, This is the very definition of a high maintenance park, so what can be done within those demands is nothing short of extraordinary.
We finished at the Memorial Gardens, a very popular venue for events, including Armed Forces Day, the Unity Event, the recent Disability Pride and the Mela. The beautiful new Covid Memorial trees earlier this year are really coming into their own, and the sweet willow planted for Holocaust Memorial Day nearly four years ago is thriving.
And a special mention for our newest park with a green flag, Crawters Brook, which has come on leaps and bounds. The beautiful sculptures recently placed here are truly worth the visit, you could sit and have your picnic in the centre in totally peaceful surroundings or sit at the bench by the brook and watch the world pass by. Where it has come from, in a few short years, is nothing short of remarkable and a tribute to the support of the Manor Royal Business Improvement District.
So we now look to the future and I am hopeful, with more investment, this could deliver a seventh flag for another of our much loved parks, but that’s an aspiration for the future. Let’s cherish what we have while that work continues.
Cllr Michael Jones
Leader, Crawley Borough Council