Friends group continues to go from strength to strength

Springfield Park

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“To delight our community by exceeding its expectations,” is the mission of the Friends of Springfield Park (FoSP). In a special feature, Rochdale Online looks at the history of the group and what they are planning for the future.

Just over three years ago, a Friends group was set up to fight the possible loss of 12 acres of grassed land and the badly neglected running track in Springfield Park from being forever taken away from the community for a golf driving range.

Many will remember the group offering everyone in the community the opportunity to choose either the Rochdale Council plan for the park or the Friends of Springfield Park ‘Vision Plan.’

With the tremendous support from the community, the planning application was eventually defeated and withdrawn and the Friends of Springfield Park group were finally able to put into place the five year business plan they had put together which incorporated many of the ideas suggested by the park users and other members of the community.               

In the last two years the group has completed several projects, including:  lower park drainage, installing outdoor exercise equipment, an artificial cricket square, casual kick pitches and basketball facility, a new notice board, dipping platforms on the mere, several new litter bins, and planting many hundreds of plants for the borders.

The Friends of Springfield Park group is a volunteer, community group which recently achieved charitable status.

The group is currently renovating the pathways down into the beautiful wooded River Roch Valley together with rebuilding the interior of a room in the stone coaching barn as a facilities room for schools and other similar groups which has been made possible with the award of a £50,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

They are also actively involved in discussions regarding the long term future of the stone coaching barn in its entirety.

The aim is to raise money to finance and build a new brick and tiled two storey café with a community room above. The group anticipate the project will take up to 2 years to complete.

The Friends group aims to hold 6 car boot sales each year and the collection days at supermarkets  to bring in funds. They also apply for funding.

The group’s spokesman, Dave Logan, said: “All of these projects have been made possible by FoSP working very closely with the Rangers of the RMBC countryside service, who are an invaluable help and asset to all the borough’s parks and green spaces.

“Additionally, we have built many, many very important relationships with many councillors, particularly our ward councillors, as well as many of the RMBC council officers, with whose help many of the projects could not have been achieved.

“It is important to understand, that the FoSP group are dedicated to working with the park’s natural features and enhancing them accordingly.

“In other words, we are committed to appreciating the past, working in the present and leaving a heritage for the future.”

For more information visit: www.springfieldpark.btck.co.uk or email springfieldpark2009@hotmail.co.uk