Park takes new step on road to recovery

BACK row (from the left): Phelyp Bennett, trustee of the Friends of Dunwood Park; Councillor Rod Blyth; Keith Bennell, group manager, parks and countryside department; Councillor Mark Alcock; Richard Vink, senior landscape architect; Ron Syddall, treasurer, Friends of Dunwood Park; Martin Riley, Friends of Dunwood Park. Front row (from the left) Roy Woodward, deputy chairman, Friends of Dunwood Park; Alan Griffiths, Friends of Dunwood Park; Eirwen Hopwood, head of Oldham Countryside Service.

DUNWOOD Park, Shaw, is one step closer to a revamp, now that supporters have received a windfall to help them develop their £1 million Lottery bid.

The Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund’s Parks for People programme have awarded £45,000 to the Friends of Dunwood Park so that it can carry out more consultation and expand its application.

Euey Madden, a development officer in the council’s parks and countryside department, said: “The money will be used to submit a much more detailed bid, which will demonstrate community involvement and record information about visitors.

“We will also provide detailed maps of where the repair work will take place in the park and where our planned activities, including orienteering and forest classrooms, will be.

“We will also have to explain how we are going to attract people to the park if we get the money.”

Alongside a park in Wigan, Dunwood is one of only two parks in the North-West to have got through the first stage of the bidding process.

The chairman of the Friends of Dunwood Park, Michael McGrother, said: “I am delighted to hear that we will be moving forward with the detailed planning for the much needed renovation.

“The parks department and the Friends of Dunwood Park have have worked hard with schools, councillors, residents and others to bring this about and I must pay tribute to those who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

“This is a genuine community project and everyone has a part to play.

“We are now one step away from achieving the goal that was set for us a few years ago. This has been and must continue to be a team effort.”

The new extended application will be submitted within 12 months and the applicants will be told whether their bid has been successful by April, 2010.