People's Park - Raising The Standard, Raising The Green Flag

PEOPLE'S PARK has celebrated its extraordinary £2.7m revamp by winning a coveted green flag for the quality of its facilities.

The Green Flag award is a nationwide recognition of a good quality park - with particular focus on the quality of its management, operations and green spaces.

Judges awarded the prestigious honour to the park after it met strict criteria on two separate assessments - one for its management plan and one for the facilities on offer.

Councillor Martin Vickers, cabinet member for environment at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: "This award marks a wonderful few months for the team at People's Park who have worked so hard on restoring and refurbishing it.

"To receive such a prestigious award on the eve of the park's 125th anniversary is testimony to the dedication of all those involved with the park, past and present, and shows a modern Grimsby buoyant with wonderful, nationally-recognised parks and open spaces."

In recent months, the park has witnessed the development of a new pavilion and tea rooms, major improvements to the lake area and the installation of two fountains.

The Smethurst monument has been restored, pathways have been resurfaced, new street furniture installed and CCTV put in place.

Meanwhile, improvements have been made to the bandstand area, a new terrace installed in front of the Floral Hall, reinstatement of original Victorian planting schemes, major tree works, installation of interpretation boards and a perimeter trip rail, the restoration of the bowls pavilion and the demolition of 1960's toilet blocks.

Judges awarded the park - revamped thanks to a £1.93m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund - top marks in eight categories, including conservation and heritage and its overall management.

Nathan Vear, the council's environmental improvement manager, said: "I am delighted that the judges recognised the winning teams’ ethos behind the People's Park story. It serve as an independent recognition that the parks in North East Lincolnshire have come a long way and are now on a par with parks such as the Botanical Gardens in Sheffield and the Embankment Gardens in central London. We will be able to fly the Green Flag logo with pride, safe in the knowledge that we have given a new lease of life to one of Grimsby's most popular and enduring parks."