Pocket Park Working Party

If you have some free time on Wednesday 28 May, come along to Gill Bridge, Lowlands Road, Mirfield to continue the work already carried out on the Pocket Parks.  The volunteers will be clearing vegetation, removing litter and planting.  It is advisable to bring along gloves, practical footwear, mattocks, forks and secateurs.  Donations of plants or seeds would be gratefully received. 

Email Mirfield Promenade for further details.  We look forward to seeing you on 28 May.

Pocket Parks Progress

A big thank you to Sue Bentley, Jane and Alan Speight, David Pinder, Liz Hardwick, Jonny Hart-Woods, Claire MacDonald, Hilary Brooke and colleagues from the Canal and River Trust for their hard work and kind donations of plants/seeds which enabled us to clear weeds and debris accumulated over many years, and to plant up one key area along the canal at Mirfield.

We now need more hands-on assistance and donation of plants to continue the great work.  Before we know it the Mirfield canal side will be Blooming Marvellous and a better place to sit and enjoy this splendid environment.  We will announce the date of the next event very shortly.

 

 

 

 

Progress and Plans

Here is an update of developments along the Promenade - but remember that these few lines cover a massive amount of work!

Ø  Mirfield Community Partnership has provided funding for some pop up displays to use to promote the work of the Promenade, and these will be ordered shortly:

Ø  the work on the Pocket Parks gets off to a flying start on 8 May - with volunteers working together to clear the areas, and plant flowers and shrubs

Ø  four benches have been painted, the hope is to paint others along the tow path:

Ø  Battyeford Island - a new application for funding is to be submitted to BIFFA, this is being lead by Mirfield Community Partnership.  Kirklees Area Committee will supply match funding for information boards, if the bid is successful.

Ø  an ecological survey is being considered, possibly involving a student from Leeds University:

Ø  town centre work - planning is being undertaken to consider improvements needed on the tow paths near to Lidl, this will include replanting, clearance, path repair and, of course,  identifying funding.

 Help needed:

Ø  Thursday 8 May at 10 am, please meet at Gill Bridge, Lowlands Road, Mirfield to start work on the Pocket Gardens.  Bring along gardening gloves, tools and any spare plants.  Canal and River Trust colleagues will be on hand to assist.  All volunteers welcome!

Ø  Volunteers are  needed to go onto the rota for watering the newly planted Pocket Gardens.  Please email Mirfield Promenade

 

Improvements are beginning

When you next walk along the Canal near Mirfield, you will see that we are starting to make improvements - yesterday four benches were repainted, near to Wheatley Bridge and Gill Bridge.  Thanks must go to Hilary Brooke and David Middleton for carrying out this work, with special thanks to David for providing the paint, equipment and guidance!



Public testing of the newly painted bench



 

 

Pocket Parks

Shortly we will be starting work to restore small areas of land adjacent to Gill and Wheatley Bridges, as we feel that such improvements will enhance the route along the Canal towards Mirfield.

On 8 May, there will be a clean up, vegetation clearing and planting session starting at 10 am at Gill Bridge, near to Lowlands Road, Mirfield.  We would love to see you there to help with this work, but please wear sturdy gardening gloves and stout footwear.  Colleagues from the Canal and River Trust will provide some equipment and guidance - but feel free to bring along your own gardening tools.

If you have any plants that you would like to donate, or if you would like more information about this work and how you can be involved - then please email Mirfield Promenade

 

 

Sharing Towpaths

The Canal and River Trust is consulting with communities, stakeholders, local authorities and partners in order to draw up a National Towpath Use Policy.  The aim of this policy is to improve the experience for users of towpaths in England and Wales.  The Trust wants to attract more visitors to regularly use and enjoy the waterways and to encourage shared, safe use of towpaths.  You can read the Trust's document Sharing Towpaths and let the CRT know your views on its proposals by taking part in a short survey.

Update on bids

The Canal and River Trust put in a bid to BIFFA on our behalf, unfortunately the bid was unsuccessful on this occasion.  Whilst this news is not what we wanted to hear - we are treating this as a set-back and not the end of our plans.  We are continuing to seek out other funding sources and remain committed to developing Battyeford Island, whilst trying to get resources to help us to deliver other parts of our programme - in particular the tow path through Mirfield.  Watch this space to find out the progress we are making.