As the days get longer and the weather warms up, many of us will be looking forward to spending more time outdoors. Work is being carried out to improve Derby’s parks and open spaces before the summer months.
Derby City Council is working alongside partners at parks around the city to ensure our green spaces are in the best shape for the future.
Many of the improvements taking place have been facilitated by external funding. At Normanton Park, an exciting project has been made possible thanks to the Government’s Levelling Up Parks Fund.
The £85,000 scheme includes the creation of a community garden on the park’s former bowling green. Fruit trees and new beds have been planted with the help of volunteers from the local community, Derbyshire Constabulary and Derby-based Alstom and Rolls-Royce.
An accessible footpath has been installed, while decorative metalwork and new seating will be in place by the summer. Pupils from nearby Dale Community Primary School will be involved in designing the seating.
The Green Thyme Allotment and Hub, which is situated at the park, will hold regular sessions and events in the garden. They will allow members of the local community to learn about gardening and give them the chance to meet new people and improve both their environment and wellbeing.
Tree planting at Normanton Park
The project has also seen 62 new trees planted across the park, and the Council is working with Sporting Communities and the Football Foundation on a scheme to redevelop the existing sports courts into a PlayZone. PlayZones are safe, inclusive and accessible outdoor facilities that bring communities together through recreational forms of football and a range of other sports.
Claire Davenport, Derby City Council’s director of Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said:
This is an exciting time for Normanton Park. The Government funding has provided the opportunity to improve several aspects of the park, which will bring long-term environmental benefits as well as creating a better experience for the local community.
There’s also a lot of work going on at our other parks around the city and we thank the many volunteers that have given up their time to help. We hope Derby’s citizens will get out and enjoy the city’s many green spaces, now spring has arrived.
Sporting facilities are also being improved elsewhere, with work to improve tennis facilities within the city’s parks almost complete. Courts at Alvaston Park, King George V Playing Fields and Markeaton Park are being renovated thanks to an £87,000 investment by the Government and the Lawn Tennis Association’s Park Improvement Programme.
The work will ensure that quality facilities are available for the local community and make it easy to book a court or activity online. Once work is complete, the Council will also work with the LTA to deliver a range of activity across the park sites, including free park tennis sessions.
The bank of Markeaton Park lake before and after planting work carried out to prevent erosion and improve the habitat
Lakes in some of the city’s parks have been undergoing significant restoration. Volunteers from the Earl of Harrington’s Angling Club have been working in partnership with Council officers on the improvements.
Planting around lake edges has created a better environment, improved water quality and benefited fish, birds and other wildlife. The work has also improved the appearance of the lakes, making the areas more attractive for the public.
Extensive planting has taken place at parks in Allestree, Markeaton and Alvaston. Dave Parr, secretary of the angling club, said:
Planting has huge benefits both environmentally and visually. It prevents bank erosion and improves the nutrient balance in the water, improving the environment for invertebrates to thrive.
This leads to an increase in fish which has a knock-on benefit for birds. It creates better habitats for wildlife and is also more visually appealing.
Discover more about Derby’s parks on the In Derby website. You can find out more about the Green Thyme Community Allotment and Hub on their social media pages.