Scheme to protect park backed
Plans to protect Telford Town Park - hailed as the borough's "jewel in the crown" - have been backed by councillors.
Plans to protect Telford Town Park - hailed as the borough's "jewel in the crown" - have been backed by councillors.
But the future of the grassy arena near to the ice rink is still up in the air and local taxpayers may still have to help foot the bill for a £5 million Heritage Lottery bid towards enhancing the park.
The revelations were made at a meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet last night following probing questions from Liberal Democrat Bill Tomlinson.
It followed the publication of a report by a parks working group set up after the Tories gained control of the council from Labour in May.
Councillor Denis Allen, cabinet member for communities, said a huge programme of consultation had taken place including public meetings and 5,000 questionnaires.
The result was a commitment to protect the park for generations to come, the submission of a £5m bid to the Heritage Lottery and bringing the lakeside amphitheatre back to life with outdoor events.
Although the working group's plan was endorsed by cabinet, Councillor Tomlinson wanted to know exactly what was intended for the arena.
Once officially part of the park, it was later taken out when the boundary was re-drawn and potentially earmarked by the council for a new leisure complex after demolition of the town's ageing ice rink.
The idea was that money raised from selling the ice rink site to developers would be the council's contribution towards multi-million plans for a revamped town centre.
Councillor Allen said: "We have absolutely no intention of building on the arena. But we have to keep our options open until siting of the ice rink is confirmed. "
Further consultation will now take place about parks at Dawley, Hartshill, Bowring and Dale End.