Gwinear and District villages Association (GVA) applied for £21,700 towards the Reawla Park Project to create a park which is a safe and attractive place to visit, providing a variety of facilities for all ages and abilities as well as a place where the community can come together, thereby strengthening community spirit. The project was completed in November 2018.

The GGSCF grant equated to approx.26% of the overall costs in the project.  The GVA were heavily involved in the Reawla Park project being part of the working group that undertook the project.  The materials used are sympathetic, sustainable and hard wearing, the park has been designed in a way that softens the edges and creates an oasis in the middle of housing.  An interactive pathway links one side of the village to the other.  All will benefit from the park as there is play equipment, seating, shelters, gardens, wheelchair access, sensual plants and surfaces. The new play equipment has been integrated between the gardens and the new undulating landscape helps capture the children’s imaginations and pushes their boundaries.

The community working together has been a huge success including the Probation Service who refurbished the existing play equipment, the children from Gwinear School who helped with the planting, local residents helping with community planting days, donations of two good sized trees and two very large sacks of daffodil bulbs shows just how important Reawla Park is to everyone.  The whole community is over the moon with the project.

The GVA are talking with local residents to set up a ‘Friends of Reawla Park’ group for gardening tasks.

“So great to see the kids enjoying the new park!”

“I walked through yesterday to the shop and all the kids were having so much fun.”

“What a difference!!  Well done to everyone involved!!” (from the Reawla Park facebook page)

The boardwalks ensure the long term protection of the pathways and enable access to the main habitats of the local nature reserve for benefit of people of all ages including dog walkers, members of the local community, educational establishments and visitors who come to the Green partly because it is a Local Nature Reserve to observe and/or record the flora and fauna and to undertake habitat and wildlife surveys including the weekly walked butterfly transects.

“It looks very nice, a vast improvement which will make it more accessible for the local community and for our visitors” (Mike and Claire owners of the Gwithian Farm Caravan and Campsite)

“It is brilliant, more robust and I particularly like the fact that it has been slightly raised” (Jude, local resident and dog walker)

“I walk the weekly butterfly transect and I am also a keen naturalist. It looks smart and safe and gives the right impression of a local nature reserve which is looked after for the benefits of all” (Sally, local resident)