Amber Valley Borough Council is set to commit nearly half a million pounds to begin the refurbishment and restoration of Belper River Gardens.
Councillors will be asked to agree to make the funds available at the Full Council meeting on 26 March 2008.The move comes after the Council’s earlier application to the Heritage Lottery Fund was turned down.
Councillor Jack Brown MBE, Cabinet Member for Clean and Green at Amber Valley Borough Council, said: “Our vision is, and always has been, to restore this beautiful park back to its former glory.Certain areas of the Gardens are in quite urgent need of refurbishment, but the good news is that work can start to ensure the necessary repairs and improvements are carried out.We believe that the River Gardens is a major asset to the Borough, and this investment will ensure that it can be enjoyed by both residents and visitors for many years to come.”
Councillor John Nelson, Leader of Belper Town Council said: “We very much appreciate the efforts of Amber Valley Borough Council to secure the funding to enable work to begin on the restoration of Belper River Gardens.”
Councillor Les Dorey, Chairman of Friends of Belper River Gardens, added: “We are absolutely delighted that Amber Valley Borough Council is looking to make this substantial investment to help safeguard the future of the Gardens.The money will be used to carry out vital repairs and restoration work in the park, and gives us breathing space to identify any other possible sources of funding that will enable us to continue improving it in the longer term.This is hopefully just the beginning of a new lease of life for Belper River Gardens, and will ensure it is preserved for future generations to enjoy.”
The funding is drawn from the Council’s Capital commitment of £250,000 from the 2008/09 budget, together with additional funding that has been secured from developers for use on local open space initiatives. The money will enable early work to commence on the promenade, which is constructed on wooden pilings that are in a state of serious decay, as well as the riverside walkway and utility services to the tea rooms.
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For more information please contact Lisa Garnham, PR and Communications Manager at Amber Valley Borough Council, on 01773 841655.
