Park scoops FOUR Green Flag awards
KEEP BRITAIN TIDY GROUP HANDS OUT HONOURS FOR EXCELLENCE
MANCHESTER’S Heaton Park has been presented with FOUR Green Flag awards by judges from Keep Britain Tidy.
The environmental charity hands Green Flag awards to the British parks which boast the highest environmental standards, are beautifully maintained and have excellent visitor facilities.
Heaton Park is the largest municipal park in Europe and offers a huge range of things to see and do – from its newest attraction, Treetop Trek, to established family favourites such as the animal centre, children’s play area and boating lake and its stunning centrepiece, the Grade I-listed Heaton Hall.
This year, Heaton Park gained the overall Green Flag award, plus Green Heritage Site accreditation – with Community Awards also handed to the Manchester and District Beekeepers’ Association and the Manchester Transport Museum Society, which runs Britain’s only restored tramway from within the park.
Trams into the park from Manchester city centre started to run in 1905 and transported thousands of Mancunians to Heaton Park every weekend. This service closed in 1934, but 45 years later, a stretch of the original track was uncovered at the park.
The society runs a service using vintage trams on the since-extended track, allowing park visitors to step back in time by enjoying a leisurely tram trip from the restored original passenger shelter to the boating lake.
Jeremy Valentine, Treasurer of the Society, said: “In previous years, we’ve worked with the council and other voluntary groups to support the inspection process.
“We met with the judges last year and they encouraged us to apply for an award in our own right.
“The tramway and museum are both great heritage assets for Manchester as a city, but especially for Heaton Park and so we are really proud to have received this recognition.”
The society hold a growing stock of trams, with the oldest being a horse tram from 1880, through to their most modern, a Metrolink model, from the 1990s. The earliest tram in regular use dates from 1901.
Heritage trams run on most Sundays throughout the year, plus Bank Holiday Mondays and on Saturdays from April to September. The tramway also operates several familyfriendly special events throughout the year.
Coun Luthfur Rahman, executive member for culture and leisure, said: “These four Green Flag awards are fitting recognition for our team and for the dedicated local community groups who do so much to make Heaton Park one of the region’s best-loved green gems. We know that Heaton Park is hugely valued by Manchester residents – and with a huge range of activities on offer this summer, I’m sure that people citywide are already planning their next visit.”