Brand new facilities open at country park...

[dutchman]

New facilities have opened at a glorious green space which is found on the doorstep of Nuneaton residents and work shows no sign of stopping.



A brand new refreshment kiosk, office and toilet block have been officially opened at Hartshill Hayes County Park.

Selling everything from leaflets to gifts and drinks to a range of snacks, it is open to the public from 2pm until 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays from April to September and from 1pm until 4pm at the weekend from October to March.

The work has been carried out as a plan by Warwickshire County Council to invest into the outdoor area to keep families, dog walkers, groups of friends and others in the town, going back to enjoy more quality time year on year.

As well as benefiting visitors, the facilities have also been welcomed by park rangers, who were previously using temporary toilets in a leaky cabin and an old dreary office.

The Warwickshire Country Parks service will continue the makeover, with plans to add a courtyard area to allow visitors to enjoy their picnics in nice surroundings.

A green oak shelter will also be put up at the park, to allow everyone a place to take cover if weather turns bad and changes will be made to the car park to give room for more vehicles.

Councillor Carol Fox was invited along to cut the ribbon on the day and she shared information about further plans.

She said: "The Hayes is a very special area of ancient woodland. It is doubly important because it is publicly accessible and on the doorstep of so many people.

“The Country Parks service has plans over the coming months to provide a more attractive courtyard area to sit for drinks from the kiosk and for picnics and to add a green oak shelter.

"We will also be improving the car parking capacity and layout and there are works planned to maintain and improve further sections of the paths and trails.”

The most recent work has been carried out by Arden Construction and it has been paid for with income raised by the Country Parks service and other external sources.

It has followed on from an exciting addition that was made in 2007, a play area to provide youngsters with hours of fun.

The play area saw an increase in the number of people visiting Hartshill Hayes and it is hoped the latest additions will have the same affect.

A spokesperson for the park added: "The county council continues to invest in the success of Warwickshire’s Country Parks, which are an important part of Warwickshire’s leisure and tourism offer, and serve as green spaces which contribute to quality of life, health and well-being."