Three Calderdale parks have been recognised as some of the best in England and Wales, after receiving the prestigious Green Flag Award.
Centre Vale Park in Todmorden, Manor Heath Park and Jungle Experience in Halifax, and Shibden Park, also in Halifax, have all been awarded Green Flag status, the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
The winning parks stood out after impressing the judges with their excellent use of green space, well maintained facilities and high standards of safety and security.
The awards are the result of a year of ongoing hard work from the Council along with the continued commitment from dedicated local community groups and working partners.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Cllr Jenny Lynn, said:
“We understand the importance of our parks and green spaces and the welcoming environment they provide for our communities.
“It’s fantastic news that three Calderdale parks have achieved the Green Flag Award. A lot of hard work goes in to achieving the high standards required for this accreditation and I’d like to show my appreciation for the efforts of Council teams and the valued community groups who support this work.”
Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd MBE said:
“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in achieving Green Flag Awards in Calderdale.
“The successful parks are vital green spaces for the community in Calderdale, bringing people together and providing opportunities to lead healthy lifestyles. The staff and volunteers do so much to ensure that they maintain the high standards of the Green Flag Award and everyone involved should feel extremely proud of their achievement.”
The Green Flag Award announcement comes just ahead of Love Parks Week (Friday 28 July – Sunday 6 August), a national campaign which celebrates parks, green spaces and the dedicated volunteers and workers that look after them all year around.
Calderdale Council is supporting the campaign and encouraging people to visit their local open space and enjoy the environment. It’s also highlighting the work that goes into keeping parks clean and tidy and is encouraging people to support this work and help keep local parks free of litter and prevent issues like dog fouling.
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here.(external link)