July 26, 2011 4.30 pm This story is over 152 months old

Lottery funding for Boultham Park passes initial bid

Funding bid: Boultham Park in Lincoln could benefit from up to £2.7 million of funding for natural restoration.

The Linkage Community Trust and the City of Lincoln Council passed stage one of a grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund Parks for People Programme.

The initial bid for £2.7 million, including £22,500 development fund, is to go towards the restoration of Boultham Park.

This means the project meets the criteria for funding and has passed the first round but there is still a long way to go as the second application stage is later this year.

Jane Howson, Business Development Director at Linkage is “delighted” that the bid has made it past the first stage but “there is still a huge amount of work to be done before the project funding is secured”.

John Bibby, Director of Housing and Community Services at the City Council said: “This is excellent news, and we are thrilled that the Heritage Lottery Fund have recognised the tremendous range of benefits that this initiative could deliver. We will be working hard now to fine tune the bid for the HLF’s expert consideration and hope for a successful outcome later this year.”

If successful, the project will carry out conservation work to the site and transform the disused stable blocks into a heritage training skills centre for people with learning disabilities as well as the general public.

This would encourage the public to volunteer to take part in the ground’s maintenance and conservation projects, as well as a cafe run by the service users of Linkage Community Trust.

Lincoln’s MP, Karl McCartney, welcomed the news for Boultham Park saying it “is a much-valued green space in our local community, supporting a wealth of wildlife species as well as hosting an excellent playground for children.”

Photo: City of Lincoln Council