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• From dereliction to thriving community hub

• Date:

  12th January 2005

• Contact:

  Sarah Egerton

• Organisation:

  The Civic Trust

Strolling around Grange Park today, visitors would not believe that this thriving, attractive piece of community space was a site of dereliction only a decade before.

The park was developed from the grounds of Ribbleton Hall, a Victorian manor house built in 1865 for Thomas Birchall, a local solicitor and one time mayor of Preston. After Birchall’s death, the building housed various occupants, including a boy’s preparatory school in the 1920s and the ATS (Auxillary Territorial Service) and US troops during World War II.

The creation of the formal park began in 1955 following the hall’s demolition and soon boasted a bowling green with pavilion, tennis courts and magnificent rose beds, as well as many of the original trees and shrubs. But like many urban parks, the site fell into decline during the 1970s and 1980s, and vandalism, fly tipping and general neglect led to virtual abandonment by bowling teams and local residents.

Responding to pressure from the local community in the late 1980s, Preston City Council made a successful bid for Heritage Lottery funding of £571,000 and work began in September 1999 to restore the Park to its former glory. A friends group was established to work in partnership with the council’s Parks Development Team and a newly employed dedicated ranger John Robinson, who lives locally.

Today’s visitors to Grange Park can now imagine the grandeur of the hall as it was in Birchall’s day and see the well, grotto and newly excavated ha-ha. A play area has been installed and local children were involved in the creation of new gates to the park and a beautiful Time Flow Sculpture, both of which promote the value and heritage of the green space.

A £200,000 modern, purpose built interpretive centre is decorated with brightly painted bugs and pictures. A screen shows film from inside a blue tit’s nest and the children were amazed to witness the hatching of six eggs in real time. A glass case houses a collection of ceramic birds, which John has collected from a magazine to help children identify the species they have spotted.  Another case displays an archive of old bottles, army water canisters and NAFFI mugs - treasure which the youngsters have dredged up from the site.

John’s enthusiasm for the job has helped to ignite a love of wildlife in local youngsters – many who were part of the park’s previous anti-social problem. A nine-year-old deaf and dumb lad with arsonist tendencies was the cause of more than 20 fires on the site before discovering he could perceive the bats sonar during a nocturnal walk. John says: “I’ve never had a fire out of him since – he’s my best friend now.”

Children from the local youth club were given lumps of wax to make whatever they fancied for the Time Flow sculpture. They were then taken to the foundry where they saw their creations transformed into gun metal. This involvement has developed a real sense of ownership for a sculpture which John originally suspected would be a haven for graffitti.

Green Flag Award judges commented: “Excellent work being carried out by the rangers and friends group to promote and involve community groups and wonderful community cultural features have been developed and installed within the green space.”

For further information on the success of Grange Park as a Green Flag Award winner, contact Eddie Curry on: 01772 901 300. John Robinson can be contacted at the park centre on: 01772 703 408.