Local regeneration, social harmony

Hope Street Park friends group was formed in 2006 by a group of ordinary people with a desire to do something for the community with an area known at the time as Hope Street open space. Blighted by an on going anti-social behaviour problem and lack of facilities for children, the open space was adopted by the group which became a constituted organisation in January 2007, carrying out its first public consultation in April of the same year.

Having secured funding from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council to carry out a feasibility study  and with the full support of their local councillors, they met with Dudley Council's head of design and projects to discuss the wish results from the public consultation survey. In September 2007 they met with an appointed landscape architect in the Park to discuss the plan and received a draft copy of the feasibility study in December of that year.

On 5 July 2008 they held a very successful Public Consultation and fun day which involved a marquee, bouncing castle and children's activities. In October of that year they received feedback from the consultation day and went on to prioritise a public wish list. Having submitted a funding application to Play Pathfinder scheme they secured £55,000 worth of funding  to finally build the play area

Work finally started on the play area in January 2010 and was finally completed in March of that year.

This new play area has been a great benefit to the local community giving children somewhere to play at last and a place for families to find recreation. Since the play area has been built further improvements have been made to the Park including renewing all the broken pathways, giving people with disability scooters access to the Park once more.

Breaking News!

We are currently in the process of applying for an Arts Council Grant to build a fence around the play area. We are also looking at funding for new entrances to the park. A local resident artist has kindly offered her assistance in liasing with local school children to put forward possible designs for the fence. We will keep you informed of our progress.

Hope Street Park Friends Group

‘Together we can make a difference’