The Vale’s iconic Porthkerry Park has been shortlisted for a national award by the Fields in Trust in its quest to find Britain’s best park.
Porthkerry Park is competing as one of the top 14 parks in Wales and joins 213 other parks across the UK in a public vote to determine the winner. Votes can be cast at www.fieldsintrust.org/bestpark.
The winner will be revealed on November 30th at Lords Cricket Ground following the public vote.
Vale MP Alun Cairns said, “Porthkerry Park is a jewel in the heart of the Vale of Glamorgan, I doubt any other space in the country could match its picturesque vistas.
“Where else do you have woods, fields, streams, a Victorian viaduct and the sea all in one view?
“Porthkerry Park’s nomination for this award serves as a recognition of the dedicated and passionate work that Vale of Glamorgan Councils staff do to maintain the area.
“They ensure that the park is a joy to visit and would be very worthy winners of this award.”
Fields in Trust Chief Executive Helen Griffiths said: "We want to celebrate the parks and green spaces which are so vital to the communities that use them. A good park is reflective of the community it serves, but, as they are not a statutory service for local councils to provide, these much loved places are increasingly under threat of being lost to development.
"Recognising the UK's Best Park is a way of revaluing our green spaces; not viewing them just as a drain on resources for maintenance and upkeep - but seeing what benefits they bring; access to good quality recreational space can contribute to the physical and mental health of their local population and provide places for people to get together for community events."