7:40am Monday 18th January 2010
By Harry Miller
Nearly 9,000 people helped Croydon Council choose the nine parks that will benefit from a £1.5m facelift.
The result follows the Council’s Parks To Be Proud Of campaign, which saw 15 parks in the borough put to the public vote to see which residents preferred to see spruced up.
Voters were asked to pick their favourite park and three clear winners emerged.
Lloyd Park stood out as the clear overall favourite, scooping nearly 20 per cent of the total vote.
South Norwood Country Park and Milne Park, Addington Vale will also be getting a share of the money.
In the north, Thornton Heath Recreation Ground, Norbury Park and Wandle Park came out on top, and in the south of the borough, residents who voted for Waddon Ponds, Coulsdon Memorial Ground and Sanderstead Recreation Ground all have cause for celebration.
Councillor Steve Hollands, cabinet member for culture and sports, said: “This is local democracy at work, and I’m pleased at the number of people who supported their park voting. This reinforces what we already believed – that people value parks enormously.”
The next phase of the project will decide how the money will be spent and council experts are now listing the options for suitable improvements for each site.
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