Pocket Park - an ongoing success story

Our neighbourhood pocket park, the Gerald Lee Pocket Park, rose from the obscurity of a patch of weeds under a billboard to becoming one of the most desired and decorated ventures of 2014.

From this 


Via this

To this    

For those that missed the history, here are our earlier postings:

2nd May 2014: initial proposals for the park
21 May 2014: prelude to the big dig

7 June 2014: the big dig, undertaken exclusively by South Terrace residents and their families

18 June 2014: prelude to the big plant - with the Mayor, Amanda and the children
21 June 2014: the big plant - combining South Terrace residents, Friends of the Earth Darlington and Guerilla Gardeners Darlington

23 June 2014: nearly the finale

4 August 2014: the grand opening by the Mayor, Councillor Gerald Lee and the Mayoress, Mrs Lee

On 28 July 2014 the Daily Mail featured the park. The Grand Opening on 29 July 2014 was clearly a massive success, both for the park and the people involved, as reported by the Northern Echo on 30 July 2014 (click here and here to see the videos).





By 12 September 2014 the pocket park was voted category winner in the Darlington Garden Contest, with the award ceremony at Darlington Town Hall on 2 October 2014, award being received by Kendra Ullyart and Peter Plant.

Success did not end there. Despite political controversy, following assessment on 5 September 2014 when the leader of the council questioned the naming of the pocket park, the park went on to gain an 'Outstanding'  Award from the Royal Horticultural Society and Northumbria in Bloom in the 'It's Your Neighbourhood' ceremony, with a presentation to Councillor Paul Harman on 18 November 2014 in the Legends lounge in Middlesbrough Football Stadium.

The park shows the ability of a local community to make a difference. What awaits us in 2015? Well, lots more fun in the park, we hope!

Councillor Paul Harman, receiving our RHS 'Outstanding' category Award

The Big Plant - Britain's Smallest Park

'The traffic will be stopped...
The road closed...
Bands will be playing...
Hot air balloons will be launched...
'Miss Darlington' will be here, and the Mayor to cut the ribbon.......'

Ok, maybe not quite that organised. But the South Terrace diggers and the planters will be reporting for duty between 0915 and 1300 hours in the back lane west at the rear of South Terrace.

The event, of course, is 'The Big Plant', intended to re-define horticulture at the gateway to our Feethams Village, creating the latest and smallest park in Britain - the 'Councillor Gerald Lee Pocket Park', named after the town's Mayor - one man who has done the most for a litter-free Darlington.

On 6 June - as you know - about 20 residents and Guerilla Gardeners gathered to attack a scrap of land beneath the billboard hoarding at 82 Victoria Road - near the Barker and Stonehouse roundabout. We set about 25 square yards with our spades, forks and even a pick. Eight sack-fulls of rubbish later, the ground was cleaned and cleared, ready for planting. We were there; and we will be returning for 'The Big Plant'.

21 June is a long and magical day. 21 is the smallest number of differently sized squares needed to square the square. So it is a highly appropriate day to undertake squaring our oblong smallest park. 

Our aim for the day is to set out our brand new pocket park, pegging the area for sitting and for footpaths, and to plant up the remainder. We are expecting lots of plants - colourful, herbaceous, evergreen, annual, shrubs, flowers, ground-cover, creeping, climbing, ancient and modern. Where possible they should be able to withstand a north facing exposed plot beside a busy road. But gardening is a pursuit of chance - everything will be given a place - and those that survive will prosper.

Litchfield is watching as their UK title to 'The Smallest Park' evaporates. Naturally, we shall have the security of South Terrace's domestic pets on hand to calm any Staffordshire intruders and spoilers. Additionally, we will deploy South Terrace's secret weapon - the 'Stephanie Tea Stall' - which will be serving tea and biscuits to the workers and residents.

As you are gathering, the event is generating huge interest, both locally and regionally. Radio Tees are to attend from 0915 hours, and the Northern Echo is desperate to get their fill of photos. For those who have grandchildren, remember - this is the day that you will be recalling to them over the next few decades as the day you took control, and created Britain's Smallest Park.

The Big Dig ....a big success.

Its Saturday 7 June...famous as the day of 'The Big Dig'.

Developing the 'Smallest Park in Britain' got off to a good start with South Terrace Residents joined by Darlington's Guerilla Gardeners.

 

Removing perennial weeds and couch grass was quite a task.

 

  

We recovered broken flags and parts of the original railings, together with coins and other trophies.

 

Now, the site is clear and ready for laying out and planting. That is the exciting phase.

Join us on Saturday 21 June for 'The Big Plant'

Gerald Lee Park - the latest news

Building the smallest park in Britain in Victoria Road didn't present as the most 'catchy' idea for South Terrace Residents' Group - but the media have thought otherwise.

The Northern Echo and BBC Radio Tees gave it such prominence that even Burntwood Park in the Borough of Lichfield have got cold feet about their petite position on the podium. Amanda Llewellyn, our project co-ordinator, wowed the listeners of Radio Tees and the story went viral.

But - our ground-work preparation is yet to happen, and time is tight. The provisional day for the Grand Opening of the 'Smallest Park in Britain' is Tuesday 29 July, when the Mayor, Councillor Gerald Lee (wearing his Mayoral chain) and assisted by the children of South Terrace will cut the tape.

Gerald Lee and 'The First Dig'

Our days of action are to be 'The Big Dig' on Saturday 7 June, and 'The Big Plant' on 21 June. In each case, volunteers are asked to meet in the back lane west at South Terrace.

Those with forks and spades will be particularly welcome, but we also cherish others to serve tea from the urn, and distribute biscuits and cake. We are working on a theme for the day, currently a guarded secret, but which will be revealed in time.

One matter that is of particular importance for the Darlington Guerilla Gardeners is the environmental credentials of the project. Whilst Friends of the Earth have given us a resounding silence (they seem more preoccupied by demonstrating with placards, than digging with spades) - we are determined to give a new definition to 'the environmentally adjusted park'. Everything from drainage and seating - to planting - will respect indigenous principles.

Of course, we now need your plants! The fabulous Peter Plant has already offered to help. Will you?

Councillor Gerald Lee Park

Just as Darlington Council examines more ways to cut costs and save money, you would be excused from believing that now was an impossible time to envisage the development of a brand new park for Park East Ward. Especially as the ward boasts one of the finest provincial parks in the county.


Well, of course you would be wrong. In association with Guerilla Gardeners Darlington Division and South Terrace Residents Association, we have plans.

The objective is to create Britain's Smallest Park, to be named after next year's Darlington Town Mayor, Gerald Lee.

For too long, this small patch of earth has been allowed to fester as one of the most neglected patches in the town. Until Councillor Paul Harman took an interest in it, this piece of council-owned land between Victoria Embankment and Feethams South was a mess. Covered with litter and dead plant material, it was a carbuncle on the south side of Darlington's face.

All of that is to change with our new plans.

First, we plan to fork and weed the plot, and systematically litter-pick.

After this, we are arranging for path liners and bark chippings to be delivered to the site. This will enable us to divide the area into planting areas, whilst leaving an access for maintenance and bill-board posting.

And this is where we come in. Our final task is that of planting.

The location is wild and north facing, so provides a small, but not insurmountable challenge.


Perhaps some of the more successful South Terrace gardeners can recommend plants, and maybe share some of their established clumps. Generally, we will be looking for a colourful herbaceous border feel of hardy perennials.

The piece-de-resistance will be the 'Veronica Tree'. We are planning to have a Wish Tree within the planting. Due to the size of the park and the presence of the bill-board, we cannot have a proper tree as such, but propose a Wish Bush!
Your ideas on this will be invaluable.


It is not often that we get the opportunity to take hold of our own environment to create something special and lasting. Here, we can make a difference. Are you in?

Post 6 April: How did we do?

Previous postings show just how successful our South Terrace 'Big Spring Clean and Planting' on 6 April turned out. With sixteen adults and six children participating throughout the morning, it was a joy in both making our environment better for residents, and in adding a cohesive glue to our little South Terrace community.






Since then, our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Susan Jaleel, writing in the Northern Echo said,

 

"I wish to thank whoever is responsible for clearing the spare ground on Victoria Road between Feethams and Sainsbury's entrance. For a long time that area has been a dumping ground for all manner of detritus and an embarrassment at the main out-of-town ring road. Now transformed, even with the addition of a colourful patch of flowers, it has made a huge difference. Let's try and keep it that way". 




Mrs S Western of Hurworth was stirred to write back to 'Hear All Sides', 
"In reply to Susan Jaleel’s letter (HAS, Apr 18) regarding the very clean piece of road between Feethams and Sainsbury’s, in Darlington. A short time ago I saw a family cleaning it with two very small children who were having great fun trying to pick things up with rather large litter pickers. I hope they were proud of themselves. They should be".





Richard Reynolds, leader of 'guerrillagardening.org', and National Hero, commented about our efforts at South Terrace, 
"Tremendous. What a great transformation".

Today, in sunshine, our work looks great, as these shots show.

  

And here, the diversity of flora in the lane.