The landscape design for the park seeks to promote social cohesion and wellbeing as well as environmental benefits to the city. The design incorporates three distinct areas; a woodland area filled with tree-lined paths and play features; a biodiverse meadow with picnic area and; community area for outdoor events. The aim is to encourage visitors to interact with nature and feel a strong sense of community.
This park is the first UK demonstrator project for the “GrowGreen” initiative, which is funded by the European Union’s 2020 Horizon programme. The initiative aims to show how green infrastructure can combat against the effects of climate change by providing quantifiable evidence. University of Manchester will monitor the storm water flows over the next five years to examine how effective the park is in reducing flooding and how people make use of the space. The data they gather will then be used to inform the design of other green spaces in flood prone areas across the EU.
Jenny Ferguson, Lead Landscape Architect for BDP, said:
“Climate change and the need to plan for green infrastructure is playing an increasingly significant role in our approach to design. West Gorton Community Park has given us the opportunity to create enticing spaces that help us feel connected to others and support the environments we inhabit.”