Thanet council is celebrating after receiving a prestigious Green Flag Award for Ellington Park in Ramsgate, for a fifth consecutive year.
It comes as the internationally recognised standard for parks and green spaces celebrates its 30th year.
Ellington Park is one of a record-breaking 2,391 in the UK to achieve the award this year – a fantastic testament to the hard work, passion and dedication of the team who cares for this green space, ensuring it is maintained to a high standard for visitors and residents to enjoy.
In 2021 Ellington Park was restored by a partnership between The Friends of Ellington Park and Thanet District Council. The National Lottery Heritage Fund supported the restoration with £1.8million from its ‘Parks for People’ programme.
The project was a sympathetic regeneration of the park, ensuring its important heritage remained at its heart. The park features a multipurpose café and toilet building, along with a children’s playground. The park’s historic pathways, flint terrace and balustrade were restored, as was the 120-year-old bandstand.
Ellington Park has also achieved the Green Heritage Site Accreditation for the management and promotion of its historic features.
Cllr Steve Albon, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Coastal Services including Public Realm, said: “We are thrilled that Ellington Park has been awarded the Green Flag for the fifth year in a row, alongside the Green Heritage Site Accreditation. This recognition is a direct result of the incredible hard work and dedication of our council teams, volunteers, and the Friends of Ellington Park.
“This park is the heart of the Ramsgate community, and we are proud to maintain it as a beautiful, safe, and historic space for everyone to enjoy.”
Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy. Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.
“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways to improve people’s quality of life.
“Thanet District Council have shown what can be achieved when parks are properly supported and managed. As we celebrate 30 years of the Green Flag Award, we want every community to have access to green spaces like this that are safe, welcoming and maintained to a high standard.”
Pegwell Bay Country Park, managed by Kent County Council, has also received a Green Flag award.
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under contract from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status. A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups.
This is excellent news.
This is most excellent news.
Lovely news, I spend increasing amounts of time at Ellington with my kid and it’s a great place to be.
The least thanks go to TDC , if were up to them it would look like all the other parks in Thanet
I don’t think other parks in Thanet gets the treatment that Ellington receives, good for Ellington ( lovely park to the often)others parks on TDC list get nought
Ellington Park is a great, well-maintained park with good facilities, making it a real asset.
It is a pity, but the same cannot be said for Northdown Park. Not for the first time, the park has been taken out of use for educational purposes.
As I understand, this park was gifted to the local population for recreational purposes.