Black Country Urban Park

About the Black Country Urban Park

A Big Lottery Fund (BIG) decision committee has named the ambitious environmental regeneration project as one of four prestigious national schemes that will battle it out for votes via the internet and on The People’s £50 million Lottery Giveaway programme expected to be screened on ITV on 6 December.

People can register at www.thepeoples50million.org.uk to pledge their support for the project, take part in discussion forums and upload photos on the project gallery. 
Online voting opens on 26 November and telephone voting is expected to open on 7 December. 

A Million People: Black Country as an Urban Park includes four key elements – widespread regeneration of Wolverhampton’s canal network; the unveiling of one of the world’s most important geological features, the limestone caverns at Wren’s Nest; a 12-mile ‘green bridge’ park linking Walsall and West Bromwich town centres; and an inspirational visitors centre at Barr Beacon.

The Urban Park project will breathe new life into Wolverhampton's canal network, improving access to and across canals and adjoining public open spaces for local communities and boat users alike. 
 
Extra security and improvements to towpaths, bridges and lighting of tunnels will make the canals a safe and accessible environment that people can use at all times of the day, creating new and improved facilities for walking, cycling, recreation and sport. 
 
The city’s canal network will be boosted by the re-opening of historic wharfs and quays, providing extra water space for the creation of new canal boat moorings, and the provision of education and interpretation facilities along the canals will encourage people to be involved in the development of wildlife habitats.

The joint bid is being led by the Black Country Consortium, in partnership with Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Sandwell councils and The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country.

The whole Urban Park project is a £100 million programme that will transform the Black Country’s historic and natural environment based around its unique canal network.  If successful in the vote, the £50 million of Lottery funding will support the first five to ten years of up to 30 years of Urban Park activity.

The Urban Park will involve 300,000 children and 3,000 local groups in transforming their environment, provide 60,000 volunteer opportunities, deliver 500 local projects and open up 3,700 acres of green space.

All voting closes at 12 noon on Monday 10 December and the result will be announced on Wednesday 12 December.