Chester’s Lord Mayor to officially open Westminster Park’s latest round of improvements

Jun 18 2009 by Mark Dowling, Chester Chronicle

CHESTER bikers will be able to benefit from the city’s first BMX track, following the completion of a park’s latest round of improvements.

The BMX track and 1,200 newly-planted trees are among £200,000 worth of environmental improvements to be unveiled at Westminster Park on Saturday (June 20).

The works also include a refurbished cricket pitch and the installation of new play equipment for tots to teenagers.

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Cllr John Ebo, will lead the celebrations as he will officially open the latest phase of the park’s developments at 10.30am.

There will be a range of activities for people of all ages with music from the Catholic High School Band, security marking of bicycles, a barbecue, refreshments and an opportunity to sample croquet, bowls and tennis as well as conducted tours of the park.

For children and young people, there will be BMX cycling skills demonstrations and a chance to practise netball, football, golf, cricket and fencing skills and a beat the goalie session.

Lache Netball team, the Hornets, and BiG Storage Cheshire Jets basketball star James Hamilton will give skills demonstrations.

Cllr Richard Short, portfolio holder for culture and recreation for Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “The park has really been improved and now provides a more attractive place for all local residents to visit and enjoy.

“The council is grateful to the Big Lottery and Waste Recycling Environmental Network (WREN) and others for their funding support, to local schools and to the active support of the Friends of Westminster Park.”

Paul Makin, of the Friends of Westminster Park, said: “Westminster Park is an important local space for people to enjoy, but eight years ago was suffering from lack of attention and investment. The Friends and the council, by working together, have been able to make significant improvements.”