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Heaton Park Does The Double
Heaton Park in Manchester has retained its title as the North West's best in the 2006 Britain's Best Parks competition.
Owned by Manchester City Council and managed by Manchester Leisure, Heaton Park has won the regional prize for the second year running and will receive a certificate to put on display in the grounds.
The park was reviewed on criteria including environment, access, maintenance and community involvement. The commitment to healthy lifestyles and local education and the wide range of events staged at the park particularly impressed the judges.
Ian Small, UK sales manager for Briggs & Stratton, said, "It is clear that everyone involved with Heaton Park works hard to make it a safe and welcoming place. Health walks, sports facilities, events and visits from local groups and schools mean the park is well used and appreciated by the Greater Manchester community.
"High standards of horticulture, a wide range of facilities and a commitment to maintaining to the highest possible standards make Heaton Park an attractive environment for visitors of all ages."
Graham Wightman, General Manager at Heaton Park, added, "This award is a fantastic achievement and it's great to have the hard work of everyone acknowledged.
"This is the second year we've entered the Britain's Best Parks competition and winning the regional prize again is a testament to the commitment and constant high standards of work from the team."
The judges for this year's competition were Peter Seabrook MBE (gardening editor, The Sun), Steve Bradley (gardening consultant and broadcaster), Matthew Appleby (news editor, Horticulture Week), Richard Kruger, (editor, Public Sector and Local Government) and Martin Fish (garden writer and broadcaster)
The Britain's Best Parks competition was started in 2003 by Briggs & Stratton as part of a global network of competitions recognising and rewarding excellence in park design and maintenance. Similar competitions run in seven countries including Sweden, France and Italy. For more information, please visit www.britainsbestparks.co.uk.
Regional finalists in the 2006 competition were:
Overall Winner: Lister Park, Bradford
Scotland: Botanic Gardens, Glasgow
North East: Saltwell Park, Gateshead (last year's overall winner)
Wales: Victoria Park, Cardiff
Midlands: Bradwell Crematorium, Newcastle under Lyme
Eastern: Castle Park, Colchester
South West: Stover Country Park & Local Nature Reserve
South East: Alexandra Park, Hastings
London: King Edward Memorial Park, East London