Town's park comes out on top at awards

A park in Rugby has been crowned the most improved Fields in Trust site across whole of the UK.

Centenary Park, which is located on Parkfield Road, was shortlisted for the title alongside the King George V Playing Field in Barford, near Warwick.

Work on the park, which is a former allotment site, started in 2014.

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Rugby Borough Council and the Newbold-on-Avon Community Partnership drew up a masterplan for the project before securing more than £200,000 in grants from SUEZ Communities Trust, Veolia Environmental Trust and WREN.

The Woodland Trust also supported the project by donating more than 5,000 trees, while pupils at Newbold’s Riverside Academy chose the park’s name - which commemorates the centenary of the First World War.

The council also worked with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and the Warwickshire branch of Butterfly Conservation to develop the park’s wildlife zones and butterfly bank.

Centenary Park officially opened in March and features a play area, outdoor gym, nature play trail, picnic area and a sensory garden.

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The park was announced as the winner of the ‘most improved fields in trust site’ at the Fields in Trust awards at Lord’s cricket ground last Wednesday.

Claire Edwards, councillor for the Newbold and Brownsover ward and one of the founders of the Newbold-on-Avon community partnership, said: “Looking back at the state of the site when we first started work on the plans, it’s hard to believe how much we have achieved in such a short space of time. It was a real community project, with residents involved from the early design stage to the grand opening earlier this year.

“It’s wonderful this work has been recognised on the national stage by Fields in Trust, and it’s a fitting tribute to everyone who supported the project along the way.”

Cllr Lisa Parker, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for environment and public realm, said: “The council’s parks and grounds team has enjoyed a spectacular year, with a brace of Green Flag Awards, a gold in the Heart of England Bloom Awards and a gold in the national Britain in Bloom finals.

“This Fields in Trust award for Centenary Park is the icing on the cake.”