GIVE SOME LOVE

Erewash Borough Council is supporting the national Love Parks campaign by celebrating all the borough’s green spaces. Love Parks runs from Friday 29th July to Friday 5th August, with the goal of promoting and having pride in the nation’s parks. The campaign is delivered by Keep Britain Tidy in partnership with Regatta. 

Erewash has 650 acres of parks, open spaces and nature reserves across 101 sites which are enjoyed by thousands of residents each year. Five sites in the borough have been given the prestigious Green Flag award, having been recognised for their impeccable quality - West Park, Victoria Park, Pioneer Meadows, Forbes Hole Local Nature Reserve and Straw’s Bridge Local Nature Reserve. Many of the larger parks have facilities including play areas, of which there are over 60 across the borough, many having been refurbished over the past 5 years.

Long Eaton’s West Park is the largest in the borough totalling 127 acres and dating back to the early 1900s. Today, West Park boasts an extensive range of sports and recreational facilities including: field sports, tennis, an outdoor gym, Skate Park, splash pad, bowls and a café. West Park is a community hub for social exercise with popular weekly Parkrun events and the annual Erewash Triathlon taking place in the park.

Victoria Park in Ilkeston acts as host location for several of the borough’s events, including the recent Summer Sounds concert. It is a shining example of the commitment by Erewash Borough Council’s parks teams to creating beautiful spaces for the community, with a variety of floral displays that are well maintained and change to reflect the seasons. Ilkeston is a finalist in Britain in Bloom 2022 and the RHS judges are visiting Ilkeston during Love Parks week

Councillor Carol Hart, Leader of Erewash Borough Council, says: “The Love Parks campaign is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate the beautiful green spaces of Erewash. We are incredibly lucky to have so many parks and nature reserves to visit, it is important that we don’t take these special locations for granted. Whether you enjoy the natural beauty of Straw’s Bridge or the perfectly planned planting displays of Victoria Park, I encourage residents to take some time to appreciate the borough’s outdoor spaces this week.”