A meeting of the Friends of Middleton Park last night (21 April 2015) discussed plans for the park following the closure of the golf course last year.
A consultation is currently being carried out by Leeds City Council – you can take part online here: www.leeds.gov.uk/consultations.
Alan Shaw, Chair of the Friends, reported that they had received a lot of ideas already ranging from BMX and cyclo-cross courses, to an outdoor gym or ‘trim trail’, an adventure playground, an arboretum or new wetland habitat.
Cllr Judith Blake talked about how important Middleton Park is in the community and encouraged residents to keep on sending their ideas for how they would like the park to develop. She said:
“From a difficult decision to close the golf course, we can seize the opportunity to do something special and something that is owned by everyone.”
The meeting also heard from Middleton Park Football Club who would like to move back to the park. They would like to take on the former golf clubhouse as their base, but also to make it available for other community groups to run activities. South Leeds cycling group Rugged and Refined have also expressed an interest in using the clubhouse in a similar way.
Tony Stringwell from LCC Parks & Countryside explained that once the consultation closes on 15 May, the council will produce a masterplan for developing the park over the next few years in consultation with ward members, the Friends of Middleton Park and Wades Charity (which owns the majority of the land). The council has ring fenced £74,000 for capital works in the park and this could be used to attract further funds from other sources.
Middleton Park is one of the best park areas in Leeds,it’s like a hidden gem.
With a bit of public and private funding it could stop being hidden and become an attraction for people all around Leeds and Wakefield.The road network around the area are another matter thanks to the White Rose Centre and the council’s inability to do the necessary work.