This is officially Love Parks week, which is very appropriate as we are particularly lucky to have such beautiful ones here in Crawley.

Last week it was confirmed Tilgate Park, Goffs Park, Memorial Gardens, Worth Park and Ifield Mill Pond had all kept their Green Flag Awards for 2022, the international quality mark for parks and green spaces and is a tribute to the hard work of the council’s teams.

These are places with much to offer.  Tilgate Park has again been named in the top 10 per cent of attractions worldwide by TripAdvisor.  And with features such as Tilgate Nature Centre alongside ancient woodland, lakes, gardens and lawns, the Walled Garden, Go Ape and a segway trail, lake activities at the Watersports Centre, it can be no surprise the park has achieved this accolade.

But our commitment as a Labour council to keeping Crawley green and pleasant is not just limited to the larger parks, we recognise green spaces are important everywhere.  I had enormous pleasure visiting the Millennium Garden at West Green Park recently to see the work done to make it even more stunning than before.

Another thing many residents don’t realise is how lucky we are with the number of trees we have here in Crawley, with over 250,000 across the Borough.  We’re planting some more soon, but we already beat most other urban areas hands down.

Over the years most of our major parks have had significant investment, and I hope soon to be able to consult on future proposals for Goffs Park, it is undoubtedly this Park’s turn.  We have had some wonderful events there, such as Pride, being held again later this month, and it is indisputably a fine, much loved park.  We’re still working on those plans, but watch this space!

Why not make a visit to one of our parks over the summer break?  I promise there is definitely one near you and they all have something quite wonderful to offer in their own way.  They truly are the jewels in Crawley’s crown.

Cllr Michael Jones

Leader, Crawley Borough Council