Welcome to Chapeltown Park Website

 We are local volunteers trying to improve our local parks so that people will, once again, enjoy using them and being proud of our open spaces.

Below is a list of what progress we have made since we were formed in 2002, but we have, this week, had some bad news to say that the £100k Playbuilder funding is under review by the Education Department - for final decision by the end of August 2010.

This has devastated the Friends Group to think that, after all the hard work and effort, we may finish up with a very much smaller playground with perhaps only 3 or 4 pieces of play eqipment leaving us to fundraise for the rest in years to come!

Mr. Cameron wants the community to be involved in their local parks,but this is having the opposite effect by frustrating people to the extent where they may very well stop being interested in doing this valuable voluntary work altogether!

• Secured £100k Government funding (NOW IN DOUBT) for a new PLAYGROUND to be situated at the bottom of the hill just as you come into the Park from the Newton Hall entrance.  The playground will cost £165k and we have now raised the rest of the money to start building in November 2010 for completion next Spring.

• Run lots of successful events – see the pictures page.

• Do lots of litterpicking and tree planting with the help of local school children and volunteers. 

• Opened up the woodland walks with sculptures;

• Cleaned out the "Butterfly Glade" by Blackburn Brook and got funding for a "hopscotch" stepping stone feature; a library "pond dipping" pack for people to borrow complete with fishing nets; steps into the brook; new seating from a large tree trunk, leaflet and an interpretation board.

• Planted 15 wild fruit trees with Coit School and the Lord Mayor;

• Got funding to buy our own marquee for the events;

• Ran a dry stone walling course so that we could repair some walls.

• Obtained funding for a Masterplan of the Park to be completed shortly.

Why not get involved with the Friends Group?   You could –

·        help with events and projects such as the proposed BMX track, new cafe near the playground, wild flower meadow, etc.

·        Make tea/coffee at events or help with crafts and organising visitors. 

·        Supervise the building of the playground (especially if you have architectural, building or accounting skills or are available to check on building progress)

·        Act as First Aider (if you are qualified)

Mortomley Park:

• We got funding for a new Rose Garden and asked local people to sponsor a rose, which was very successful

• We helped to get a new Youth Shelter installed.

Mortomley Park is heavily used by football teams so does not lend itself to other events.  Also, we only have 2 members in High Green – if you live there and want to put on events in this park, I would be happy to assist in any way I can.

(signed) Doris Denton - Secretary

updated on: 25.8.2010