Parks supremo hangs up his trowel

Reporter: Marina Berry
Date published: 04 February 2011


Steve’s passion earned praise
THE man who championed a 20-year battle to breathe new life into Oldham’s crumbling parks is set to down tools for the last time.

Parks supremo Steve Smith heads a team which has revolutionised Oldham’s once decaying urban and countryside parks, to the point that feature among the best in the country.

Twice named in a power list of the nation’s most influential horticulturalists, trade magazine Horticulture Week set him among a select group of people who are leaders, experts, pioneers and innovators in their field.

He was the only local authority employee to feature, and appeared alongside household names such as broadcasters Monty Don, Alan Titchmarsh and Joe Swift.

Judges recognised his “passion for parks” and heaped praise on his shoulders, saying: “He has exploited every grant opportunity and overcome urban deprivation, vandalism, funding cuts and politics to create one of the most successful parks departments in the country.”

Mr Smith (55) spearheaded dozens of projects, including a £3.4 million overhaul of the borough’s flagship Alexandra Park,

He featured in a “Gardener’s World” special when TV gardener Joe Swift came to Alexandra Park to put the spotlight on Oldham’s trailblazing modern apprenticeship scheme.

Mr Smith, who takes early retirement at the end of next month, said he will miss a team he has come to regard as his family.

He said: “I have absolutely loved it. Twenty years sounds like a long time but it has gone in the blink of an eye.

“My mum used to say find something you like doing and you’ll never work a day in your life, and that is just how I have felt.

“I have made some great mates, also with Friends groups and councillors, and I will miss them all.

“I am proud the parks are in a significantly better state than when I came. As custodian all you can do is try and leave them in a better state than when you found them.”

“Oldham has a very loyal, committed, dedicated team of parks staff who go above and beyond the call of duty.”

Mr Smith began his career as an apprentice at City of Manchester Parks and went on to work for Trafford and Tameside councils.

He came to Oldham to find the borough’s parks had fallen into decay, were vastly under-used and had become a magnet for vandals.

He began a mission to turn them into safe, attractive and highly-valued community assets.

Such has been Oldham’s success in transforming urban parks, its pioneering approach is now recognised as the way forward for other areas across the country.

Under Mr Smith’s leadership 12 of the borough’s parks have been refurbished at a cost of around £6 million, Shaw’s Dunwood Park won a £1.8 million lottery grant and the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £1 million for more than 20 new play areas.

He also oversaw the £1 million headstone reinstatement programme in local cemeteries.

More than £8 million has been awarded to Oldham over the last 10 years for play areas, countryside areas and woodland management.

Mr Smith leads a team of 160 workers, who keep the borough’s parks, cemeteries and green spaces in tip top condition.

He advised the Government on policy and green spaces a a member of the advisory committee, Cabespace, and will continue as a member of Greenspace, a charity which lobbys on behalf of the green space and parks industry.