Quiet opening of the new bridge
Thank you. You have sponsored 360 planks on the new bridge, raising over £40,000 towards the total project cost of £240,000. Our thanks also go to all funders, including Cromer Town Council who funded the play equipment, and to NNDC who have agreed to take responsibility for ongoing maintenance of the bridge and play area. Apologies for the delay installing the final plaques – we wanted to get the grass matting down near the cliff path before they were installed.
The new bridge has begun to transform the park with open aspects from the bridge, all round views, and full accessibility to the upper lawn – bringing new life to this side of the park. Following some unforeseen delays, the play area is now complete, has been safety inspected and grass seed sown..
Three months after the park opened in 1929, Mr Benjamin Rust donated the first bench for North Lodge Park, and Mr Troller a further six soon after, setting a precedent that has continued. Once again you have come up trumps to sponsor 9 benches to be placed on the upper lawn, which we aim to install over the winter.
We think we can help nature in the park too, from wild flowers and insects to small mammals and birds. Working with the wild-life group Cromer Green Spaces we are committed to making parts of the park more attractive to wildlife. The top end of the upper lawn is being left as a wild area of grasses, the southern end of the ‘clock garden’ a wild flower area. You may have seen the white-topped posts marking the areas to be left wild.
In addition to the wild areas, volunteers will be undertaking planting around the bridge this autumn to start the landscaping work to complete the project. We won’t be able to complete all the planting this autumn and this work will continue next year. If you would like to help our team of gardeners do get in touch at gardening@northlodgepark.org.uk
“…very well done on what you are doing and what you have acheived so far. Delighted with my plaque on the bridge which itself looks very good and very usable…”
“…I wanted to send you a hasty email to both thank and congratulate you all on the FABULOUS accessible bridge and play resource you have created in the park. When it is fully open, this amazing resource will enable my disabled mother to play with her grandchildren in a safe and accessible space. This means a great deal to us as a family. Thank you…”
“…Well done Friends of North Lodge Park. Good positive bridge enhancing the area …thank-you to all, look forward to the landscaping from the hard working team …”
“…We were delighted to see the bridge open, as we’ve walked past it most days watching the progress. We were so pleased to see the plaque to commemorate my parents … we look forward to seeing the planting that the amazing volunteers have got planned, it will really finish off the area. The play equipment looks very innovative and will prove a great hit with local youngsters and visitors and will bring the park alive again for all ages…”
