Vale Parks Up For People’s Choice Award

Following a successful year for the Vale of Glamorgan, a year in which it has picked up several Blue and Green Flag Awards, people now have the opportunity to vote for their favourite park, giving it the chance of being named in the top ten in the UK’s People Choice Award. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This year, a record-breaking 161 parks and green spaces in Wales were awarded the prestigious international Green Flag Award, including 7 within the Vale of Glamorgan. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Thanks to the continuing hard work by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Parks team, we are able to enjoy the likes of Alexandra Park and Windsor Gardens and Belle Vue Park in Penarth, all of which were awarded Green Flag status back in July. Barry’s Central Park, Romilly Park, Victoria Park, Knap Gardens and Barry Island Promenade were the others to receive recognition for their cleanliness, safety, standard of maintenance, community involvement, sustainability, management, conservation and heritage. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

You now have the chance to vote for your favourite Green Flag park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The voting for the People’s Choice Award opened on 01 September, and closes at noon on Friday 30 September. This year, as it is the twentieth year of the Green Flag Award, there will not be one overall winner, but a top ten voted for by the public. The top ten parks and green spaces in the UK will be announced in October. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To vote, simply go to www.greenflagaward.org, select Wales on the interactive map, find your favourite park or green space, click on ‘more details, then click the ‘vote for this site’ button. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Gwyn John, Cabinet Member for Visible and Leisure Services, said: “This year has been fantastic for the Vale of Glamorgan, in terms of the recognition we’ve received for our parks and seaside locations: two Blue Flag awards for beaches, and seven Green Flag awards for our parks. We all have a favourite park in the Vale of Glamorgan, and I sincerely hope one of these finishes within the top ten.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Green Flag Award is a UK-wide partnership, and is delivered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy (a registered environmental charity working for the improvement of Wales’ local’ environments) with help from Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​