Park renovations on song
Released: 11 December 2007
Young singers will herald the start of a new era at a popular Wolverhampton park on Saturday.
Restoration work on the open air theatre at Hickman Park in Bilston is now complete, and to celebrate, local schoolchildren will be singing festive carols. Young choristers from Bilston Pentecostal Church and Bilston Church of England Primary School will perform at the special event.
The finished theatre – along with a newly restored Victorian-style shelter – are the first results of the programme of restoration work designed to bring Hickman Park back to its former glory.
The theatre was given to the old Bilston Borough Council by Bilston Horticultural Society in June 1938, and played host to hundreds of plays and concerts over the years. But it fell into disuse about ten years ago when a number of events began to move elsewhere.
The park itself is an important green space for Bilston. Laid out in 1911, it was presented to the people of the town by the family of local industrialist Sir Alfred Hickman. Many original features remain and are now being restored.
Wolverhampton City Council was given nearly £900,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund last year to help pay for the improvements that will see the park returned to its original design.
Other work includes the building of a rangers office and toilet block, which is due to be completed next month and has been carried out by Wolverhampton-based contractors A M Griffiths. Phase two of the regeneration begins in the spring, and will include landscaping and the restoration of the old sports arena and a children’s play area.
Councillor John Reynolds, cabinet member for leisure and culture, said: “Hickman Park really is a jewel in Bilston’s – and Wolverhampton’s - crown.
“The open air theatre itself was an important part of the community and used to host a wide range of events before it fell into disuse.
”We are delighted to be able to tell the local community that the theatre is now back in use, restored to its original state.”
Issued by the press office.