Restoration of Devonport Park

Devonport Park is reaching the final stages of a three-year makeover to transform the 150-year-old park.

The £5.2 million scheme was funded by the Council, the Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership and the Heritage/BIG Lottery Funds and has transformed the park from a place few people visited to one which is now a hive of events and activities for residents. Local people have helped decide what should be part of the project, carried out some work and are now enjoying a revitalised historic park.

Use of the park has increased by over 130 per cent since 2006 and satisfaction has gone up by 56 per cent over the same period, from only 19 per cent to 75 per cent being satisfied with it as a place to enjoy.

People now stay longer in the park than they did five years ago and travel from further afield to enjoy its more diverse attractions and attributes, indicating that we have addressed concerns over security and safety and made it worth a longer visit.

More young people, elderly and disabled people are using the park which shows our success in ensuring the project met the needs of these previously missing audiences.

The work has not just been about preserving the park's heritage but ensuring people who live both near the park as well as those from further afield enjoy what it has to offer.

Heritage work includes:

• Restoration of the Sicilian Fountain
• Restoration of the Napier Fountain erected in 1863 and paid for by sailors in honour of Admiral Sir Charles Napier, who campaigned for naval reform to improve the lot of the common sailor
• Restoration of the Galatea and Chatham Memorials that commemorate a famous Devonport ship, the Galatea, and famous Britons who opposed the Spanish respectively
• Lower Lodge, built in 1858, was once home to the park keeper. The remaining original features of the grade II Swiss-style lodge have been preserved and it is now once again a park employee's residence.
• The Doris Gun unveiled in 1904, commemorates the crew of HMS Doris, who died fighting alongside the army at the Battle of Paardeberg in 1900. It is one of only three remaining 'pom-pom' guns in the world
• The Devonport War Memorial built in 1923 ahead of the larger Plymouth one on the Hoe and the focus of Devonport's annual Remembrance Day

Fitness and fun

• An amazing adventure play area that consists of a sensory garden, a toddler play area as well as areas for juniors and teenagers to enjoy
• The Devonport Heritage Trail, a 7.5 km route that links together the heritage features, open spaces and waterfront of Devonport with Devonport Park as the central focus
• Monthly guided walks to help people to enjoy a healthy activity while learning about the park's heritage

Community

• A new environmentally-friendly park pavilion, which includes a café, community/bowls room, toilets and changing rooms run by a new local business start up
• The Friends of Devonport Park have been set up and with over 200 members is one of the city's most successful park friends' groups. The friends worked with the Council to secure the funding, determine how the park should be restored and have helped deliver the works
• With the help of the friends, the project included an events programme featuring guided historical walks, youth activities, major events including music, carols, heritage and bonfire and firework celebration
• The Plymouth Model Railway Club have relocated to the park and converted the formerly derelict wartime gas decontamination centre in to their new base, which is open to the public for park events

Regeneration and raising aspirations

• Training programmes for local people have led to 16 people gaining Level 1 NVQs in Horticulture, nine gaining Level 2 in Horticulture and two gaining Level 3 in Community Development
• Students have also been on construction work placements with Rok, who restored the Park Lodge and Regan who built the pavilion
• A former park training centre is now a horticultural centre for young people with disabilities run by Routeways

The £5.2 million has come from the Heritage and BIG Lottery Funds (£3.294 million), the Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership, Plymouth City Council, the Friends of Devonport Park volunteer time and fundraising and Barclays Spaces for Sports. A host of companies including Rok, J&E Regan and Galliford Try as well as local businesses have sponsored events in the form of equipment and prizes.