Summer Plans For Worthing's Brooklands Park

A summer programme of family-oriented activities has begun in one of Worthing's green spaces.

The Borough Council has announced a programme for what staff have called a "natural green pocket" with an emphasis on fitness, science and "natural play" projects.

The events, run by partners of the Council, will include free and inclusive cycling events, celebrations to mark World Environment Day, a children’s gardening week, and National Bee Day with fun and games and education on the 'Honey Bee' for all to enjoy.

Among other events, the council said, will be "The Big Bike Revival" for the public to bring along their bikes for cycle safety check, basic tuning and repairs. 

The events herald the second phase of major work on the Park starting in September which will transform it into what the local authority claimed would be "a beautiful new asset".

Work will include creating a brand new childrens’ adventure playground, building a new eco-cafe, creating new accessible pathways and landscaping the entire park to bring in new trees, plants, glades and discovery trails.

Already several landscape and development companies have signalled interest in working with Worthing Borough Council on the £2m restoration project — and officers are now busy finalising partners to begin work.

The first contract to begin the work is expected to be signed ahead of work commencing in early Autumn.

In the longer term, the council intends to position an indoor ‘leisure box’ at the South Eastern corner of the Park to complement the green space but give families all-year round access to an activity centre.

Residents will be consulted on the project. 

Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Digital and Environmental Services, Cllr Edward Crouch, said,

"I welcome this programme of events down at Brooklands and thank all of our partners for putting them on.

"As we emerge from the pandemic is it important to get out in the open air for activity and there really is something for everyone down at the Park.

"Then we will crack on with transforming the Park as we have always promised.

"Obviously the lockdown put a halt to progress but we are determined to get back on track to transform Brooklands to a beautiful place that residents and visitors alike can be proud of."

The landscaping and build work is the second phase of the project to revive Brooklands.

The dredging and restoration of the lake, complete with renewable energy water aeration windmills, was completed in 2019.

A six-figure sum was spent after concerns about the build of silt in the eight-acre lake.

With six Olympic swimming pools worth of material shifted and a range of new wildlife-friendly environments created, the area was been transformed into a useful habitat for flora and fauna.

The centrepiece is a 105-metre boardwalk which allows visitors to stroll along a reed-lined pathway and get closer to the vast array of wildlife that has repopulated the lake.

Meanwhile a mini eco-space is being developed at Brooklands Park to engage the local community and encourage pollinators such as bees.

Partners We Are FoodPioneers, Creative Waves and the Friends of Brooklands Park have teamed up to deliver the 'Bees&Seas' project, which includes on site classrooms and workshops spaces, bee hives, an orchard, a herb garden, wildlife habitats, a bug hotel and planting schemes.

Louise Coles, Director at We Are FoodPioneers said:

"Bees&Seas is a local project born from a common passion for wildlife and connecting communities with nature across the land and sea.

"We cannot wait to showcase this with a series of family fun events in August."