Page 26 - link magazine

Swindon Wide
26
Green spaces grow in the West

According to Shaw & Nine Elms councillor Nick Martin, West Swindon must be one of the very few urbanised areas where the amount of public
space within it has actually grown rather than being lost to further development.
“With the unofficial opening of
Shaw Forest Park at the Woodland
Games Festival on 5 September
and the transfer of the former
Salt Way Primary School fields to
Middleleaze Park, over 40 hectares
have been added to the open
space available to the community,”
said Nick.
“My fellow councillors fought hard
to ensure Shaw Forest was saved
from development five years ago
and recently we’ve been able to
Shaking it all down at Shaw Forest with Dr Schmoo’s Urban Circus, deputy mayor Cycling to the Shaw Forest games
and mayoress Rex and Sandra Barnett with Miss Swindon Sherie Smith have the fence realigned at Salt Way. festival Jackson Price from Sparcells
Both sites now have huge areas for with Abigail and Isabelle Cole from
informal and organised sports, and Freshbrook
offer tremendous corridors for birds Below, Yvonne Green from Stratton,
and wildlife.” with Jessica and Chloe
The amount of green space will
expand in about five years when
Phase III of Shaw Forest Park is
completed to add another 10 hect-
ares for public enjoyment.
At the Woodland Games Sharon
Smith from Toothill said, “we walked
all the way to Shaw Forest by foot-
paths, picking loads of blackberries.
It’s a lovely space.”
Tony Kendell, a 2004 Shaw Forest
Park campaigner, said, “it’s fantastic
what the council have done.” “The transformation of the park
Another campaigner, Sheriden has been amazing. We’re really
Fisher from Old Shaw Lane said, pleased how it has turned out.”
“Shaw Forest is just what we thought Woodland Games organiser Si-
it would be, a huge open space to mon Pitman of the Great Western
be enjoyed by all.” Community Forest team said he
Mark Heath brought his family to was delighted by the response.
the park to see how it had developed “We estimate 1,500 came along
since his first visit in 1994. “We which exceeded expectations. So
planted a tree at a community event many people commented on the
in memory of our little boy Kieron, great atmosphere and the range of
exactly a year after he died. Then games and activities offered. The
we came to the tree plant in 1998 site is ideal for big events like this;
with Holly when she was four. I hope we can return.”
Enjoying Shaw
Forest, back Holly
Heath, Jessica An-
ning. Front, Libby
Anning, Jessica
and Holly Bennett
Below, councillors
Mary Martin, Gary
Perkins and Nick
Martin in front of
the play area next
to the new field at
Middleleaze

• Sadly Coun Martin reports that part of the Middleleaze play area was
destroyed in an arson attack in mid-September. The cost of replacement
will be £20,000

21-52 October 09.indd 26 18/9/09 16:23:57