Your vote could be worth 400K
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
27/01/2009
A vote for South Park or Hammersmith Park could attract £400,000 of additional funding
Residents of Hammersmith and Fulham have been voting in their droves to try to secure hundreds of thousands of pounds for two local parks. South Park and Hammersmith Park are vying for consideration in an X-Factor style competition that will see ten London parks awarded £400,000 each for improvements.
The ground-swell of local opinion was demonstrated by impressive turnouts at Open Day events on successive Saturdays earlier this month. South Park was a hive of activity on Saturday 10 January attracting over 200 people, including the Mayor of H&F. A bouncy castle, a climbing wall and refreshments provided by local businesses proved extremely popular.
On Saturday 17 January Hammersmith Park attracted people from far and wide. The Japanese Society and the Friends of Hammersmith Park sponsored the planting of six cherry trees, an occasion that was attended by a number of VIPs, including Minister Ken Okaniwa, from the Japanese Embassy, Ms. Heidi Potter, Director of the Japan Society, and Mr. Keisaku Sano, the Chairman of the Japanese Residents Association in the UK.
Cllr Paul Bristow, H&F’s cabinet member for residents’ services, said: “It was great to see so many people at the two events and I know from speaking to them that hundreds of residents have already voted for the parks. I’d like to urge anyone who has not done so yet to get their vote in as soon as possible as we are now reaching the climax of this exciting competition.”
If South Park were to be one of the lucky recipients, the council would restore the parkland to its original Edwardian splendour, enhancing flower beds and shrubberies and improving sports facilities.
Hammersmith Park is the surviving part of the Japanese garden created during the 1910 White City Exhibition. If it were successful the money would be spent on restoring the garden and lake, improving wildlife habitats and upgrading park facilities.
To cast your vote, visit www.london.gov.uk/parksvote before 5pm on 30 January. Don’t delay, vote today! It could be well worth it.
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