Letter: A park of great worth to town
I am writing on behalf of the Sussex Gardens Trust to comment on the recent Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant offer to Crawley for the repair and restoration of Worth Park, particularly Cllr Irvine’s surprising statement that much of the history of the site is ‘completely unsourced and therefore highly dubious’.
While we cannot comment on the precise content of the research for the bid we can help assure him that his fears are unfounded.
The Trust’s own research confirms that the history of Worth Park’s house and grounds is very well documented through a wide range of readily-available Tithe, county and Ordnance Survey maps; its Pulhamite rockwork and enormous fountain are listed on the National Heritage List for England (www.english-heritage.org.uk), highlighting the significance of the garden; the rock work is even mentioned in James Pulham’s book ‘Picturesque Ferneries and Rock Garden Scenery ‘ of 1877. The gardens are written about in several other top-end-of-market contemporary magazines such as Country Life, again a sign of their importance.
We further point out that all applications to HLF’s Parks for People programme (which has awarded money to 500 public parks to date- see www.hlf.org.uk) are rigorously assessed by a wide range of professionals including landscape historians. HLF must approve the choice of consultants to ensure that they are professionally-qualified to undertake the preparation of a bid, including its research. Put simply, applications which do not reach the required standard do not get a grant!
While the Trust cannot comment on the council’s internal management of the project, as Cllr Lenny Walker pointed out to this newspaper (letter of December 21) Crawley Borough Council has a commitment through policy to protect, restore and enhance its heritage. Surviving elements of the town’s Victorian past must surely be precious for their rarity. In any case, a public park is public property and the Borough has a duty of care to keep the park maintained and in good repair.
Some six or seven years ago the Trust was invited by the Worth Park Friends to visit the Park. We were impressed by their devotion to the park and they deserve the admiration and thanks of the whole Borough, as well as we garden lovers and historians, for their dedication and tenacity in seeing the project through to this final success. The effect of a local authority achieving a successful park restoration project cannot be underestimated. The change in attitude to the value of parks, gardens and open spaces can be immense – the true value of parks and gardens are seen though new eyes. The opportunities for local residents, schools, mother and toddler groups, work experience students, probation and prisoners even, to become regular volunteers and part of a local community is huge. There is much evidence to show how the benefits of a public open space such as Worth Park improve health and wellbeing which surely will meet a range of council social and educational targets. Parks are as necessary an asset and service as any other.
J Hennah, hon. Secretary, Sussex Gardens Trust, www.sussexgardenstrust.org.uk
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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