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Plans for the transformation of Mesnes Park, Wigan have been given the
green light to move ahead today by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and
the Big Lottery Fund.
Wigan Council, in partnership with Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust has
been awarded a development grant of £124,000 which will enable them to
move forward with plans for a £2.9million scheme to transform and
regenerate the much-loved park. The funding for Mesnes Park is among the
first from the ‘Parks for People’ programme, a new scheme which is
designed to invest lottery good cause money in parks right across UK.
Rodney Hill, Chief Executive of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, says,
“We are tremendously proud of Mesnes Park, but this investment will go a
long way towards revitalising the park and will provide the whole
community with a host of opportunities to become involved in leisure and
cultural activities close to the town centre. As part of our vision to
Get Wigan Active we want to release the potential of our parks and
ensure they are developed into top quality civic spaces. This
announcement is a huge boost to everyone involved in the project.”
Councillor Brian Baldwin, Cabinet Member for Culture also welcomed the
announcement, “This is great news for Wigan and the many people who
visit and live nearby. Mesnes Park is a much loved green oasis but after
generations of use, it is in need of this restoration. Thanks to
investment from the Lottery, we can now go ahead and develop our plans
further.”
Councillor Baldwin continues, “The success in obtaining this funding is
testament to the hard work and commitment of WLCT's Parks and
Countryside team who have worked for the past eight years on this
project to secure the future of this flagship park. It has also been
made possible through the fantastic work of the Friends of Mesnes Park.
I would like to pay tribute to all their help and support over many
years. Clearly the passion we all share for Mesnes Park is beginning to
pay off and its legacy will be a green space in the centre of Wigan we
can all be rightly proud of."
The scheme is expected to include the restoration of historic features
such as the bandstand, pavilion and entrance lodge, as well as new
security measures and lighting. Plans also involve the appointment of a
dedicated Park Ranger to look after the site, and for a wide range of
activities for the local community to get involved in.
The popular green space is a classic example of a Victorian urban park.
It was Wigan’s first municipal park and opened back in 1878 as a ‘green
lung’ for the industrial town. Today it receives around two million
visitors a year and plays host to an array of popular events including
the Wigan One World (WOW) Festival.
The ground-breaking Parks for People programme has been designed to
improve the local environment and encourage communities to get actively
involved in their local park. The two Lottery Funds are working in
partnership to deliver this multi-million pound investment of up to
£160million over three years. The Big Lottery Fund is investing
£90million and up to £70million is coming from HLF. The scheme will be
administered by the HLF, which has been regenerating historic parks for
the past 10 years to the tune of over £400million. The Big Lottery Fund
has invested over £514million in environment initiatives.
Tony Jones, Heritage Lottery Fund Manager for the North West said,
“We’re delighted that Wigan has been given the green light to develop
their plans. Heritage Lottery Fund money has already played a vital role
in the renaissance of the UK’s parks over the past decade but there is
so much more to be done. This new scheme is designed to get the local
community really involved and to ensure a much-improved environment and
standard of living for all those who use the park.”
Michelle McNamee, Big Lottery Fund Head of North West region, added,
“Parks are a vital free space in which people of all generations and
backgrounds can come together. Whether you walk the dog or like to jog,
this investment will make a huge difference to your park by transforming
it into a more attractive and safer place to be.”
Sue Turner, Secretary of the Friends of Mesnes Park group, says, “The
Friends are absolutely delighted to hear of this great news. Thanks to
this funding, we are a step closer to achieving our vision to ensure
Mesnes Park remains a people’s park for the 21st Century. This is a
great example of partnership working and shows what can be achieved when
people work closely together.”
Grants in the ‘Parks for People’ scheme range from £250,000 to £5million
with two rounds of funding each year. The next deadline for applications
is 30 September 2006 with the next round of grants due to be awarded in
March and September 2007.
-ends-
NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this news release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Public Relations Officer, Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust on 01942 486937 or at c.dunbar@wlct.org. Images attached
show Mesnes Park, Wigan.
Alternatively contact Sam Goody at the HLF on 020 7591 6033 or at
samanthag@hlf.org.uk. Out of hours: 07870 581599. Or, Rachael Quilton at
the Big Lottery Fund on 020 7211 1818 or at
rachael.quilton@biglotteryfund.org.uk.
Out of hours: 07867 500 572.
HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND: CD-ROM application packs can be obtained by
calling 020 7591 6042. Further information can be found by visiting
www.hlf.org.uk.
Out of every pound spent on a National Lottery ticket, 28p goes directly
to good causes. The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for distributing
half of the money to improve communities and the lives of people most in
need. HLF distributes 16.67 % of the money to heritage projects across
the UK. There are 12 other organisations responsible for distributing
lottery money to good causes.
www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
Big Lottery Fund is the joint operating name of the New Opportunities
Fund and the National Lottery Charities Board (which made grants under
the name of the Community Fund). The Big Lottery Fund, launched on 1
June 2004, is distributing half of all National Lottery good cause
funding across the UK.
The Big Lottery Fund is building on the experience and best practice of
the merged bodies to simplify funding in those areas where they overlap
and to ensure Lottery funding provides the best possible value for
money. To date, the two merged Funds have committed more than £6 billion
to initiatives with national, regional and local partners from the
public, voluntary, charity and private sectors, with a particular focus
on disadvantage. The Big Lottery Fund has invested £514 million on
environmental initiatives to date.
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
The Heritage Lottery Fund enables communities to celebrate, look after
and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and
historic buildings, to local parks and beauty spots or recording and
celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our
nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. HLF has supported more than
18,000 projects, allocating over £3.3billion across the UK.
www.hlf.org.uk
The Heritage Lottery Fund has so far committed over £400million to more
than 275 public parks, gardens, squares and promenades across the UK,
including Battersea Park in London, Mowbray Park and Winter Gardens in
Sunderland, Sheffield Botanical Gardens, Alexandra Park in Oldham and
Queen’s Square in Bristol.
‘Parks for People’ is a joint grants programme for public parks in
England. HLF provide funding for parks in Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland.
For information on over 500 free parks to discover and enjoy across the
UK, see the Good Parks Guide 2006-2007 produced by GreenSpace and the
Royal Horticultural Society.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org.
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s vision to ensure that people across the Wigan Borough have the
opportunity to become more physically, mentally and creatively active.
It also aims to increase community activity and to encourage good
citizenship.
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