Right Royal Festival for Down Lane Park

Publication date: Tuesday 21 August 2012

The Down Lane Summer Festival was a regal affair this year after the park was given a royal title which will protect it from development forever.

Down Lane park has been named a Queen Elizabeth II field as part of the Fields in Trust (formerly National Playing Fields Association - NPFA) campaign to protect outdoor recreational spaces as a legacy of the Diamond Jubilee.

The scheme is similar to those that created the King George V playing fields which can be found in many towns. Through a deed of dedication the site is protected in perpetuity from future development.

At the Festival on Sunday, Cllr Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for the Environment, joined Friends of Down Lane Park to receive the cast iron plaque which marks the park's status as a QE11 site.

The festival was a community celebration of the park improvements made by the council in partnership with the very active group of Friends of Down Lane Park.

These include two new children's playgrounds, a fantastic BMX track, a very popular outdoor gym and a natural play area, as well as new benches and bins.

Cllr Canver said:

"I am so pleased the park has won QEII status and I must thank the Friends for all their hard work and dedication in working with the council to make this a fantastic community facility.

"The outdoor gym in particular has been a massive hit with park users since it was opened in May this year and the BMX track is keeping young people occupied in an exhilarating and entertaining way."

The Festival saw a teenage football competition and lots of fun activities for younger children in the park all afternoon.

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