Triumphant Once More!

The 'Friends of Broadwaters' greeted the news that our lovely park had once more won the prestigious Green Pennant, with great satisfaction. We did expect to win, as, due to  the joint effort of Wyre Forest Parks Dept., and the 'Friends', the park did look at at its very best on the assessment day.
Being able to demonstrate an on going commitment to improving our green space, was foremost in the decision to award the park the coveted Green Pennant, for the sixth consecutive year.
The fact that the recent Big Lottery award was in the process of being spent on the variety of projects planned for the park was also a big factor.
The members who met with the assessor were able to demonstrate their long term commitment to this cause, and also show that they were actively encouraging new members to take part in the plans.
All in all, a most satisfying culmination to a few months hard work by all concerned.

Work in Progress

The work to be funded by the Lottery Fund was begun in Mid May with the dismantling of the 'sensory' garden in preparation for a complete redesign and new pathways. The contractors began by removing our most cherished plants and placing them into storage until planting time in the Autumn.
The work progressed quite slowly at first due to various groundwork problems, but soon we were able to see everything begin to take shape
.

The pathways surrounding the garden were taken up entirely and the edge stones of the adjacent pathways, some of which were missing, were relaid and strengthened. During the relaying of these edge stones, the missing ones were found to have sunk into the soft earth!
The planned log roll edging was delivered and it was the installation of this that gave substance to the whole project.
New drainage was installed  to cope with the occasional flooding in this area. The pool in our park is number thirty in a string of thirty one fed by the Wannerton brook that rises in the Clent hills. The area is a class three flood risk.

The quality of work done by the contractors was outstanding and the care they took with the fabric of the park was very heart warming.



Soon it was time to lay the pathways around the garden, and this was a very speedy event.

Following quickly on from this, the pathways in the rest of the top end of the park were ripped up and within a few days the rest of the paths were laid.

Earlier concerns about the time scale of the work were allayed when the last bits of tarmac were laid, and the site was cleared of equipment, rubble and all the paraphernalia of ground work were removed, leaving the park in almost pristine condition well in time for the Summer Fayre on July 17th.

It didn't take long for the paths to be put into use. All in all a grand job. Now we are in the throes of organising the sculpture carving by Nansi Hemming which will be the crowning glory to a long project .