Islington's parks go head-to-head in cash competition (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Islington's parks go head-to-head in cash competition

December 8, 2008 4:13 PM

Councillor Jyoti Vaja at Bunhill Fields

Three of Islington's parks are competing to win a public vote for a cash injection from the Mayor. Forty-seven parks across London are fighting for a £400,000 share of a £6miliion prize from City Hall. Islington Liberal Democrat campaigners are trying to make sure that their local park gets the votes - and the cash.

The three Islington parks are:

· Elthorne Park, in the north of the borough.

· Barnard Park in Barnsbury.

· Bunhill Fields on the edge of the City.

Liberal Democrat campaigners from across the borough, usually found working together, are now campaigning to win support for their local parks.

Jyoti Vaja, Lib Dem councillor for Bunhill, said: "Bunhill Fields is a tranquil green space and the resting place of some of this country's most famous people. Although the park isn't run by the council, it's a vital resource for both local residents and City workers. This money would make a real difference to conserving its historic character and helping more people enjoy the park. Please vote for Bunhill Fields."

Emma Gowers, a Liberal Democrat campaigner in Barnsbury, is fighting for Barnard Park to get a share of the Mayor's money. She said: "The local community has great plans for this park and Islington Council has been working with us to draw up a masterplan for our park's future. This money would give the local community a real head start in putting our ambitions for Barnard Park into action."

Councillor Greg Foxsmith is encouraging people to vote for Elthorne Park: "Elthorne has seen such a lot of improvements over the last few years and is now safer and has better facilities than ever before. We need to keep the momentum of this improvement up, and by voting for extra cash for Elthorne Park we can make it one of the best parks in the area."

You can vote online at:

http://www.london.gov.uk/parksvote/

Or text "Parks" and your postcode to 62967

Votes Close on 30th Jan 2009

At Barnard Park the extra money would be used for:

· New park buildings with a rangers' office, a café, and a youth club.

· A new playground.

· New 5-a-side football pitches.

· New lighting

· New benches.

More and more people are enjoying Elthorne Park, and winning this extra money from the Mayor of London will mean:

· Even more safety improvements