Hands On Our Park website (unofficial) - our sources - Town Park Management Plan 2003 to 2013

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The Borough of Telford & Wrekin, in 2003, produced a Town Park Management Plan. It can be downloaded from here - the 'Contact Us' page at www.telfordtownpark.co.uk. However, it's a massive 46 Mb download so unless you have a fast connection it may take some time.

Considering how much we have heard lately about how the southern end of the Park 'is not used' or is 'underused' it is interesting to read in the Management Plan that:

"The park is used by local residents and visitors for recreational pursuits, namely dog walking, cycling, rambling /walking, orienteering, fishing, jogging, horse riding and ball games.

There is an established events programme for bands in the park during the summer season and like most parks many of our events occur during the summer and they range from charity, sporting, cultural, commercial events and environmental education activities.

To illustrate the range of activities in the 2002/03 season, we had the following events take place: Cancer Research U.K. and Shropshire Mid-Wales Hospice fun runs, Mencap held a family fund raising day, Ironbridge Half Marathon, Wrekin Orienteering Championships, Junior Volleyball Championships, Dawley and Telford Angling Competitions, a Theatre Production by Shrewsbury College, Tai Chi Awareness Day, District Scouts’ Lantern Parade, Shropshire District Scouts’ Queen’s Jubilee Fun Day and a Waste Awareness Campaign. Wonderland has their own annual calendar for events which is published in their literature and on their web site."

It is also interesting to read that (in 2003):

"The access points to the park are maintained and the signs have been standardised in terms of design, colour and information on the park. We have removed old signs from access points in the south and replaced with new entrance and water safety signs informing people on the location of the lakes and what to do in an emergency. We do recognise the need to maintain all park entrances and carry out basic improvements with regard to levels of litter and grounds maintenance at each entrance.

New signs at each entrance include the name of the park, who manages it and the site contact number. Signs installed in the north of the park have additional text illustrating what facilities are available."

We wonder, in 2006 - what happened? According to the Council now, 'areas of the Park are derelict'. Whose fault would that be?

The document includes an Action Plan - it makes fascinating reading but sadly the text cannot be easily extracted. You can of course read it if you download the entire document, but some snippets are:

Target: Produce an up to date contents map of the park and its boundaries. Achieved 2003. (Our emphasis)

Target: Install new information and welcome notice boards. Achieved 2003.

Target: Production of environmental education packs. To complete 2003/2006.

Target: Re-introduce the parks newsletter issued in print & on the web. To complete 2003/2006.

Target: Develop a community garden and allotment for use by school and community groups. To complete 2003/2006.

Target: Raise awareness of Local Nature Reserve bylaws (consider installation of signs) To complete 2004.

Target: To devise a control of dogs policy and install new signs. Achieved 2003.

Ah well, at least they had found the boundaries by 2003.