Top of the parks Tothill gets Green Flag
People power along with hard work by Council staff has helped raise a Green Flag above one of Plymouth’s most popular parks.
Tothill Park is the latest city park to be awarded the accolade which recognises the best parks and green spaces across the country. The Council has also retained its five existing Green Flags for the Hoe, West Hoe, Devonport, Freedom Fields Park and Moor View.
The flag, which is awarded by the Tidy Britain group, will now fly over Tothill Park as a sign to visitors that it has the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities.
Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Brian Vincent said: “Tothill is extremely well used by people of all ages in and around St Jude’s and Mount Gould.
“In the last decade, it looked a bit tired, but thanks to the enthusiasm of the Friends of Tothill Park, it has been rejuvenated and has gone from strength to strength. This is what being a cooperative council is all about – working together to achieve something that benefits everyone living in the neighbourhood.”
The Friends of Tothill Park worked alongside the Council. One particular success was the new all-ages adventure playground, which won £135,000 Big Lottery funding.
The ideas for the play area were designed by children from Prince Rock Primary, Holy Cross Catholic Primary and Salisbury Road Primary School who worked with a designer from the Eden Project to create a wish list of play things.
Other work included new flower beds, hand rails and a new games area for football and basketball, seating, tennis court surfacing and fencing, play equipment for teenagers, litter bins
The Friends have also provided:
• gardening alongside the Dove charity
• volunteer work worth over £100,000 towards the park’s upkeep over the last few years.
• bird boxes, plants and flowers that are attractive to insects, birds and butterflies
• Bulb planting days
• Play days with the Play Rangers
• Tree planting events
• story telling days
