This is an on going project to regenerate the centre of Herne Bay. It was a premier Victorian resort, which is divided into three distinct areas including the seafront, the town centre and the Memorial Park, which is its green heart.
The park is close to the town centre and seafront and links to the coastal cycle path. Connecting the seafront, town centre and the park is key to Herne Bay's regeneration; the future market position of any destination is linked to the economic prosperity and quality of life of its residents. This will create a strong sense of place.
Tourism is an economic driver, and people will travel to distinctive destinations that also deliver quality of life and are visually attractive to residents and visitors. Key to regenerating the town is restoring its green heart, the park. The city council has consulted widely on the future of the park, and an active and supportive 'Friends of' group has been formed. £500,000 has been made available from the council's capital budget and a further £50,000 has been awarded from the government's 'Playbuilder' scheme.
The play area was refurbished earlier this year and is now open, and other projects in the park include installing CCTV, restoring and improving the lighting and paths, refurbishing the garden area, installing signage and toilets, creating a community hub, refurbishing the street furniture and up-grading the lake. The aim is to turn the park in to a 'green flag' park.
Other notable horticultural achievements include the installation of a kitchen garden plots in Memorial Park which will be offered for the use of community groups. This project was designed by residents of the Family Investment Homes Project, who have also produced a design for a sensory garden. The gardens will be installed by Oakapple who have worked on other projects in the district.
Last year Family Investment Homes held a competition to design a new bed at the Kings Road entrance of memorial Park next to the Parklife centre. This area had been particularly neglected and was in need of a revamp. They then carried out the installation of the new bed using plants they had grown at their nursery.