Parks across Guildford retain Green Flag Awards

 

Eight of our parks and countryside sites have received a Green Flag Award. This is the 19th year our Sutherland Memorial Park has been awarded the accreditation.  Onslow Recreation Ground received its first Award whilst the rest of our sites retained them.

 

The Green Flag Award scheme is managed by Keep Britain Tidy. It recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces. It also sets the benchmark standard across the United Kingdom and around the world. During a record-breaking year, 2,127 green spaces across the world received the national accreditation.

 

Lead Councillor for Environment, Cllr James Steel said:

 

“We are lucky to have so many beautiful parks and green spaces on our doorstep. Our parks played a vital role throughout the pandemic, offering a place to meet friends and family, relax and exercise.

“We are really pleased that Onslow Recreation Ground received a Green Flag Award on its first submission. The recreation ground and its new management plan has been recognised for its modern play space, arboretum, maintenance standards and for its community use. We hope to raise the green flag in the park soon to celebrate its new award.”

Cllr Steel added “Thank you to our parks team who work hard all year round and keep our parks in great condition. They maintain over 50 countryside sites, 65 parks and gardens over 30 playgrounds and 1,100 hectares of green space in Guildford. Part of this includes supporting the natural habitats of wildlife in our borough. You can find new walking trails and tours on our website.

 

“We continue to make improvements to our parks and green spaces. We recently installed a new table tennis table in Sutherland Memorial park which is free to use.”

 

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd, said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making Guildford’s parks and countryside worthy of a Green Flag Award.

 

“To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is testament to the hard work of the staff who do so much to ensure that Guildford has high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management, and is a place that supports people to live healthy lives.”

 

Our eight Green Flag award winning parks are:

  • Allen House Grounds
  • Castle Grounds
  • Chilworth Gunpowder Mills
  • Lakeside Nature Reserve
  • Onslow Recreation Ground
  • Riverside Nature Reserve
  • Stoke Park
  • Sutherland Memorial Park