If you’ve been for a walk in Middleton Park this week you might have noticed some building work near to the Rose Garden.
A new viewpoint is being created to commemorate Nick Rose, a driving force in the Friends of Middleton Park group who died last year. Current Chair of the Friends, Alan Shaw, takes up the story:
We have been working with Leeds City Council, Friends of Middleton Park Trustees, Wades Charity, and Nick’s wife on a suitable memorial for Nick Rose our former Chair that would both commemorate his work in the Park and with the Friends, as well as provide for an opportunity to help to integrate the former golf course land into the rest of the existing parkland.
‘Nick’s View’, designed by Leeds City Council and very much including the views of the Friends, provides for a point in the Park where people can stop, rest, and just enjoy the quiet nature of the Park. It has been designed so that when people do use its seating areas they have a lovely view over the old 1850’s estate land towards the east, something Nick was keen on preserving. The seating area is off the main circular path so should be a quiet area for contemplation. Nick’s wife Maureen suggested the use of walnut trees (apparently one of Nick’s favourites) and we have used them to ‘frame’ the view. I understand that Maureen will be donating the trees to be used in the scheme.
However we have also designed it as a destination point for a new path system across and through the older part of the golf course, extending from the edge of the current bowling green to where Nick’s View looks out over the estate. The height of the structure at the rear of the seating area will be visible from the edge of the bowling green and will therefore provide a clear site to ‘aim for’ when following the new mown path. Additional mown paths will extend from this main path to other parts of the estate, hopefully supported by signs and other information points.
The Friends very much hope that ‘Nick’s View’ will be both a fitting memorial for Nick and commemorate his contribution to the local community, and help to show a change in the use of the space in the Park as we move it from being a golf course to something that everyone can enjoy, anytime.
Costs for the whole scheme will be met from a number of sources and not by the council. The Friends will be making a suitable donation to this. Wades Charity have also been closely involved in the project and are assisting with finding the funding to undertake the scheme.
