July 29, 2013 8.00 am This story is over 128 months old

Two Lincoln parks get Green Flag award

Relaxing spots: Hartsholme Country Park in top parks list for the sixth time and the Arboretum received the Green Flag award for the ninth year in a row.

Two of the most popular green spaces in Lincoln have received the Green Flag award.

Hartsholme Country Park has been named as one of the best parks in England and Wales for the sixth year in a row, and the Arboretum has been awarded a Green Flag for the ninth time.

The Green Flag Award is the national award for parks and green spaces linked with the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.

To win the award, the green spaces must be judged as welcoming, safe and well maintained, with strong involvement of their community — a record-breaking 1,447 parks and green spaces will receive the honour.

The bandstand in the Arboretum in Lincoln. Photo: CoLC

The bandstand in the Arboretum in Lincoln. Photo: CoLC

Caroline Pritchard, Community Services Manager at the City of Lincoln Council, said: “This is a fantastic achievement to have both parks awarded green flag status again.

“The people of Lincoln are very passionate about their parks and green space and this award shows that.

“It is another momentous step for our parks following on from Boultham Park being awarded £2.7 million by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund earlier this month.”

The Arboretum on Monks Road was the first green space in Lincolnshire to achieve Green Flag status in 2004, following a £3 million refurbishment the previous year.

Each winning park will be presented with a green flag to fly to let people know about the award status.

The Green Flag flying at Hartsholme park. Photo: CoLC

The Green Flag flying at Hartsholme park. Photo: CoLC

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd said: “Quality green spaces are absolutely essential to happy, healthy communities. They are fundamental to our quality of life, whether in cities, towns or villages. That is why it is so significant that we have given out more awards than ever before.”