County picks up 32 Green Flag awards
THEY ARE FOR BEST PARKS AND OPEN SPACES
WITH the weather staying warm over the summer holidays, you may be wondering about where to go for a fun, but cheap, family day out.
Fortunately, Derbyshire is blessed with many beautiful parks and green spaces, and many of them have now been recognised as being some of the best in the country.
The Green Flag Award recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, and like the Blue Flag Award for beaches, is a benchmark for outdoor spaces around the country and the world. The award has been running annually for over 20 years.
It has now recognised over 30 Derbyshire parks across three separate awards, including some well-known spaces such as Markeaton Park in Derby and Eureka Park in Swadlincote. But it is not just parks that have been recognised – crematoriums, local nature reserves (LNRs) allotments, canals, and more have been given recognition this year.
Some of the winning spaces are managed by councils, while others are run by local volunteer groups or other official bodies.
Cllr Jerry Pearce, Derby City Council cabinet member for streetpride, leisure and public spaces, said: “What a fantastic achievement to be able to fly the Green Flag in six parks again this year. After a tough two years that has seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role in helping people to relax, exercise and safely meet friends and family, we’re delighted to receive this recognition once again.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved with the upkeep of these locations and encourage everyone to visit them this summer.”
Derbyshire Dales District Council leader Councillor Garry Purdy said: “After two years that have seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely, the news that these parks have achieved the Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work and dedication of our Clean & Green teams that make these such great green spaces that everyone can enjoy.”
Gree Flag winners must satisfy 27 criteria across eight sections. Inspectors judge how welcoming a location is, the facilities on offer, how a location is cared for and managed, whether it is environmentally friendly, and more.