Queen’s Park presented with national award

Queen’s Park friends group chairwoman, Sheila Hill, and Rochdale Borough Council’s Parks and Street Scene Manager Mick Ripley hold up the People’s Choice Award plaque presented by Keep Britain Tidy’s Paul Todd. Behind them are the friends group members, parks staff, police officers and other volunteers whose input has helped to make Queen’s Park officially the nation’s favourite

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Heywood’s victorious Queen’s Park received the People’s Choice Award for becoming the nation’s favourite Green Flag park on Friday (1 October 2010).

The People’s Choice plaques were presented by Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag award manager Paul Todd to Rochdale Borough Council’s Parks and Street Scene Manager, Mick Ripley, and Chair of the Friends of Queen’s Park, Sheila Hill.

Joining the celebrations were the Mayor, Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, local Heywood councillors, and the park staff and friends group members whose effort and determination has been pivotal to getting the park to its high standard.

Coinciding with the award presentation, Mr Todd officially opened a brand new state-of-the-art castle play area in the park. After the ribbon was cut - using a pair of garden shears - children from St Luke’s and St Michael’s primary schools in Heywood ran to try out the play area for the very first time.

During the award presentation, Paul Todd, the national Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said: “I’m delighted to be at Queen’s Park in Heywood today to present staff, the friends group and the local community with this prestigious award. The park has fought off extremely stiff competition to receive the coveted title of ‘The People’s Choice’, with over a thousand other green spaces in the running. Since we launched the voting, Queen’s Park has appeared at the top of the list – a clear indication of how this quality green space is consistently meeting the needs of its local community.

“Congratulations to everyone involved in Queen Park’s success and to all the other parks across the UK that the public voted for.”

The People’s Choice Award competition opens again in January 2011 – and the Friends of Queen’s Park have already confirmed they’ll be going for the double.

Chairwoman of the Queen’s Park Friends Group, Sheila Hill, said: "We are excited and delighted to have achieved this accolade for Queen's Park and would like to thank everyone involved for their dedicated support and encouragement which has resulted in so many votes being cast. It’ s particularly appropriate this wonderful result has been obtained the same year as we celebrate 21 years since the foundation of the Friends Group.”

Ms Hill continued: “We are grateful for all the support and help we have received from the council, Heritage Lottery, New Deal for Heywood, and so many other organisations and individuals, and not forgetting the gardeners and council officers who between them all have enabled us to restore this wonderful park to show once again its Victorian heritage, as well as its up-to-the minute facilities for all ages. May it long remain the place for peace, for people, for you.”

Queen’s Park received over 2000 votes in Keep Britain Tidy’s quest to discover the People’s Choice site of the year Green Flag space. The park consistently sat in poll position throughout the year-long competition thanks to everyone who voted it as their favourite. In close pursuit was Littleborough’s Hare Hill Park, which finished in third place overall with almost 1,200 votes.

Queen’s Park and Hare Hill Park were the only two Green Flag-award parks to feature in the top ten from the North West.

Mick Ripley, Parks and Street Scene Manager at Rochdale Borough Council, added: “It’s a real honour to receive this award. The people have voted Queen’s Park as their favourite Green Flag space, and Hare Hill Park finished in an incredible third place. I believe this is further proof of our commitment to providing the best possible services to the people of the borough and beyond.”

Councillor Alan McCarthy, Chair of Heywood Township, said: “It cannot be underestimated what this win means for Heywood. Local people should be extremely proud and hold their heads high – because this is the home of the nation’s favourite Green Flag-award park. I’m sure people will travel from far and wide to enjoy it as they’ll be guaranteed to experience the best in quality outdoor spaces.”

Councillor David Clayton, Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The hard work by those involved in the campaign effort has paid off. I am extremely of the council’s parks staff and the friends groups for both Queen’s and Hare Hill parks for their respective achievements and contribution to providing clean, green spaces for the people we serve.”

Councillor Irene Davidson, Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This is a dazzling win for Heywood and the Rochdale borough overall. The two North West parks in the top ten are both right here in our borough – and of course we’re exceptionally proud of that achievement.”