Vale’s Porthkerry Country Park Up For UK’s Best Park Award

Porthkerry Country Park has been nominated for the “UK’s Best Park, as voted by YOU! 2016” award, making the final list of over 200 nominated local green spaces from across the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This adds to an already successful year for parks across the Vale of Glamorgan, with seven – including Alexandra Park and Windsor Gardens, Belle Vue Park, Barry’s Central Park, Romilly Park, Victoria Park, Knap Gardens and Barry Island Promenade – being awarded Green Flag status earlier in the year. They received this recognition for their cleanliness, safety, standard of maintenance, community involvement, sustainability, management, conservation and heritage. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

And now Porthkerry Country Park is the latest green space in the Vale to receive national recognition, following being nominated for Fields in Trust’s best park award. Parks across the UK were open for nomination for the award between September and October, with the resulting nominees now able to be voted for up until 5pm on Wednesday 09 November. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Described as a “beautiful” place “steeped in history”, you can vote for Porthkerry Country Park by visiting www.fieldsintrust.org/bestpark/wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The park boasts a viaduct, beach woodland, and huge grassy spaces for BBQs, football, horse-riding and dog-walking. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Gwyn John, Cabinet Member for Visible, Leisure and Regulatory Services, said: “The Council’s Ranger and Park teams continue to work extremely hard to ensure that all of our parks can be enjoyed year-round by our residents, and it is fantastic to see that yet another Vale of Glamorgan park is receiving the recognition it deserves.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​