The worthy hangovers of Millennium celebrations
When Big Ben chimed in the New Year, it also signalled the 20th anniversary of the Millennium.
For several years before there had been Doomsday speculation computers would not be able to cope with the switch to the year 2,000 and the so-called Millennium Bug would reap havoc.
In the event nothing happened, and much more lasting than the bug or any hangovers were various projects commissioned to mark the occasion. In Maidstone, we saw the installation of three new footbridges over the River Medway. All were connected to the creation of the Millennium River Park with a river walk along the banks of the Medway and a new space for the town Whatman Park.
Funding came from the Millennium Commission, but also from generous donations by businesses an individuals.
Three Millennium
Greens were created - at Allington, Collis Field and Hollingbourne.
Cllr Dan Daley was leader of Maidstone Council from 1992 to1999 and was heavily involved. He revealed the idea for a river walk came from former Mayor John Banks.
The land for Whatman Park was donated by the Whatman paper company, which has since closed.
Cllr Daley said: “It was just scrubland, but to create the park and build the bridges and walkway was a massive undertaking that cost £9m.” The Government contributed half. The rest was raised locally. The Kent Messenger Group chipped in with £150,000 towards the cost of the central bridge, later named the
Kent Messenger Bridge and opened by the company’s then chairman Edwin Boorman in July 2001.
Terry Waite, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s special envoy who had spent many years in captivity as a hostage to a Jihadi group in the Middle East, was guest of honour.
The bridge was essential for the public to get easy access to Whatman Park situated between the railway and the river.
The bridge was only the second “stress ribbon” bridge built in the UK. It extends 49 metres over the river and another 38 metres over the floodplain.
Not everything went smoothly as Cllr Daley explained. “The design for the bridge was already approved when the Medway River Users Association complained that it was too low for safe navigation.” The design had to be revamped and the bridge raised another 1.5 metres. The riverside walk and park should have opened with the Millennium. Plans were well in hand when severe flooding of 1999-2000 washed the shrubs and plants away, delaying the opening by a year.
The Millennium Bridge or Lockmeadow Bridge on the other hand was ahead of the game. It was opened by Prince Michael of Kent on October 27, 1999.
Great thought went into the design to ensure a structure not too intrusive in the sensitive conservation area with the Archbishop’s Palace and All Saints Church nearby.
The 80-metre structure is supported on a single pier, resting only lightly on the eastern bank, which is a listed ragstone wall. It cost £650,000.
It was supported by the creation nearby of the Millennium Amphitheatre, the gift of local building firm
Gallagher.It had been hoped it would become a venue for open-air theatre, but it has been seldom used, partly because of the difficulty in containing the audience, with passers-by constantly moving through.
The third bridge, known as the Downstream Bridge, is 75m long and bright blue and connects Whatman Park to the 12km river walk that runs from Teston Country Park to Aylesford. Funding for the park came from many business donors and ordinary people. Dorothy Phillips was tasked with getting members of the public to sponsor trees and benches. Another unusual feature are the concrete mushroom seats, commissioned by local law firm Gullands, with their Latin inscriptions.
The town’s three privately run Millennium Greens were a separate venture, with local communities applying for grants from the Millennium Commission. The Allington Millennium Green (ironically now in Bridge Ward after a boundary change) opened in the year 2000, although the charitable trust that runs it was established the year before.
Biologist Dr Brian White was one of its founders and is still its chairman. He said: “We designed it to be a place for wildlife and for quiet enjoyment.”
The site was originally the playing field for Sharps Trebor, it was gifted to the community. The toffee company formerly used a parrot as the company logo, and a parrot is still used in the logo for the green. Allington secured an £8,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to support tree work and the community raises money from an annual cheese and wine party.
The Collis Millennium Green off Waterloo
Street has been used for community activities.
The Nepalese Festival of Love and Colour has been held there along with more traditional community functions. The Hollingbourne Millenium Green has been left as open space. It is in the centre of the village with a mixture of grass, hard surfaced paths, seating and a small stream with a bridge.