They are at the heart of our communities.
And today, parks in Kirklees and Calderdale have been given the seal of approval by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.
The charity hands out its Green Flag Awards every year as a thumbs-up to quality parks and public spaces.
A record number of UK sites received the accolade this year, in awards announced today.
There were 78 in Yorkshire, with 11 of them in Kirklees and Calderdale.
The Kirklees parks are Greenhead Park and Beaumont Park in Huddersfield, Oakwell Hall Country Park in Birstall and Crow Nest Park in Dewsbury.
Fittingly, hundreds packed into Beaumont Park yesterday for their annual Gala Day.
In Calderdale, Bailiff Bridge Memorial Park and Wellholme Park in Brighouse have been honoured along with Manor Heath Park and Jungle Experience, Ogden Water Country Park, Shibden Estate and The People’s Park, all in Halifax, and Centre Vale Park, Todmorden.
The charity says that despite tough economic times local parks remain well looked after.
The Green Flag Awards are judged every year by an army of 800 volunteer judges who assess them against the eight criteria including cleanliness, sustainability and conservation.
The launch of the awards this year comes in the same week that thousands of people up and down the country are celebrating Love Parks Week, which is also run by Keep Britain Tidy.
Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award manager Paul Todd said: “It’s another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Awards and this is something well worth celebrating.
“It is fantastic that Yorkshire and Humberside now boasts 78 winning sites meaning more people than ever before in the region can play, relax and enjoy quality green space on their doorstep.
“The parks sector is facing some tough challenges, particularly with the cuts that local authorities are implementing, so it is heartening to see that they are committed to maintaining and improving standards in our nation’s green space and this is shown by the number of sites that are meeting the Green Flag Award standard.”
Parks around Huddersfield will be hosting a series of fun events to coincide with Love Parks Week.
Love Parks Week, which runs through to August 4, encourages people to put on events in their local parks.
Friends of Beaumont Park hosted their annual gala day at the park yesterday.
It included performances by Knottingley Band and Pennine Jazz as well as a magician, donkey rides, face painting, an inflatable football pitch and homemade food sales.
Kirklees Council will be hosting their main Love Parks Week event at Crow Nest Park, Dewsbury, on August 3 (12pm to 4pm).
The event includes an appearance from Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends, a bouncy castle, fairground rides and craft activities.
Meanwhile, Greenhead Park will be hosting a performance by HD Brass in the rose garden on August 3 (noon to 2pm).
For more information about Love Parks Week go to:
