Historic Grangemouth public park picks up two titles at national awards ceremony

The historic Grangemouth public park, which is a Green Flag Award holder, was the winner in both the Best Celebration Event and the Best Climate Change Adaption at the UK Best of the Best awards.

Environmental charity KSB presents Green Flag Awards to the best managed parks and green spaces across Scotland – all winners of the international award must demonstrate excellent management and environmental standards annually.

The Zetland Park grand re-opening, which was held on August 28, celebrated the completion of the £2.5 million Heritage Lottery-funded park restoration.

Having just been awarded their Green Flag Award, the day presented a perfect opportunity to hoist their flag in the company of around the 6000 people who were estimated to have attended over the full course of the day.

Attendees were treated to free fun activities including the Zetland Park Duck Race and performances from a local dance school and the youth amateur dramatic troupe.

Falkirk Council leader Cecil Meiklejohn said: “The grand re-opening of Zetland Park was one of the highlights of the year for Falkirk Council. I was overjoyed to see the pride our park regeneration project has brought back to the people of Grangemouth.

"Being able to reveal our Green Flag Award and hoist the flag at the finale of festivities was the cherry on top of a hugely enjoyable day. Winning Green Flag’s Best Celebration Event category is a huge honour and will swell our community’s hearts even further.”

The park’s Rose Garden rain garden was also joint winner of Best Climate Change Adaption.

The rain garden is located within a quiet corner of Zetland Park and has recently been redesigned as a water-managing rain garden. The redesign includes bio diverse planting which changes through the seasons, raised community food-growing beds and a large swale which collects water from across the garden after rainfall events.

It is well loved by both visitors and the park’s volunteers and had plenty of visitors at the recent grand reopening.

Two permanent interpretation boards within the Rose Garden have different themes. One, titled It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, includes a large annotated 3D visual which explains how the raingarden helps to protect the local watercourse.

Raindrops Keep Falling, the other board, includes photographs and information on biodiversity and pollinators, and is sited alongside the richly-planted swale.

Councillor Iain Sinclair, Falkirk Council climate change portfolio holder, said: “In the face of the Climate Emergency it’s important that the council do all they can to mitigate the effects of climate change.

"This ambitious and innovative project delivered in partnership with the Rose Garden Action Group and the Green Action Trust is a beautiful example of how we can work with our communities to transform much loved greenspaces to flourish in the face of ongoing challenges.

“Winning Green Flag’s Best Climate Change Adaptation award will provide encouragement to go further in our response to the Climate Emergency.”