Queen's Gardens Fountain

Queen's Gardens Fountain, a photo by davidrobertsphotography on Flickr.

Very pleasing to see a powerful new fountain in Queen's Gardens, Colwyn Bay, a replacement for a rather feeble one that rarely worked due to vandalism. Well done to CCBC's Parks & Gardens Dept for getting this sorted out.

Next on their 'To Do' List - the Cascade water feature in Happy Valley, Llandudno....

Park Revival

Fountain is working again...

Queen's Gardens, the small park in the centre of Colwyn Bay, had begun to look rather tired and run-down in recent years. I was very pleased, therefore, to see the Parks Dept have been busy replanting several areas of shrubbery that line three sides of the park and, more importantly, have managed to clean out the circular pool and install a new fountain. As a result, the park is probably looking the best it has done for many years.

Well done to all concerned!

New planting in the shrub borders

Spring Has Sprung

Crocuses in Queens Park, Craig Y Don

After the long and miserable Winter we've had this year, it was a pleasure to see the legions of multi-coloured Crocuses that have sprung up in parks, verges and roundabouts in the local area. Full marks to the Parks Dept of Conwy Council for this fine display of colour to remind us that Spring has arrived.

A little sheepish...

Over the last few weeks, I've noticed a large group of sheep whenever I walk through Happy Valley park, Llandudno, probably 20 or more of them. Having cropped the grass to a fine trim, they have now started munching their way through the plant stock of the Rock Gardens.

Now, I see council gardeners working up there maybe once or twice a week but no-one seems to have done anything about removing the sheep. Whilst keeping the grass short is perfectly fine, destroying the hundreds of plants and shrubs in the gardens is not so desirable. - not to mention the trails of droppings they leave over all of the paths! Their backs are marked with a a 'J' - I assume they have come down off the Orme but can we hope that someone at CCBC will read this and take the initiative in returning them back home before all the plants are eaten and need replacing at great expense?

In Memory of Ginger

"In memory of Ginger, a cat who lived in these gardens and was
admired by so many, 1970 - 1982" (Photo Credit)

When walking through the Haulfre Gardens park in Llandudno, I always pause for a second at this plaque (it's in the shrubbery across the path from Haulfre Cottage if you ever want to see it) and think what a nice gesture it was of someone to chip in for a memorial to this cat.

Happy Valley, Llandudno

One of my favourite spots in Llandudno is Happy Valley:

The Great Lawn at Happy Valley (Photo Credit)

Looking down at the lower part of Happy Valley (Photo Credit)

Situated on the lower slopes of the Great Orme overlooking Llandudno Bay, it was originally called Y Fach and contained a Limestone quarry. The quarry was where Elephants Cave is now, indeed the cave is mainly man-made as a result of the quarrying work. The lower area of Happy Valley (where the Great Lawn is now) was already in use for public entertainments by the late 1850s, as it was in 1855 that the daughter of a Mr. C. R. Hall first coined the phrase 'Happy Valley' to describe the area. At this time, Archery contests were the most favoured pursuit.

The Quarry was closed in 1887 by local landowner Lord Mostyn and the area was landscaped and then donated to the town to make the 50th Jubilee of Queen Victoria's reign. Happy Valley was described as "a charming natural amphitheatre on the slopes of the Great Orme's Head, where a large concourse of pleasure seekers meet daily during the season".

The official opening was in August 1890 by the Third Baron Mostyn and Mr. Elias Jones, Chairman of the Llandudno Improvement Commissioners. The occasion was marked by the unveiling of the Drinking Fountain, which was been donated by Lady Augusta Mostyn:

Queen Victoria Drinking Fountain (Photo Credit)

By the 1930s, the rock gardens (developed at the rear part of the Happy Valley) had over 2,000 species of plants within them and have continued to be a major attraction in the town:

Rock Gardens in Happy Valley (Photo Credit)

Summer Flowers in the Rock Gardens at Happy Valley (Photo Credit)

There's also a series of carved Alice In Wonderland themed wood sculptures, created for the £500,000 Heritage Lottery Fund funded refurbishment of Happy Valley in 2000:

A grinning Cheshire Cat sculpture (Photo Credit)

Twin Thrones for the King & Queen of Hearts (Photo Credit)

A refreshing coffee or light meal is available during the warmer months from the Happy Valley Cafeteria. On a warm, sunny Summer afternoon, it's a great place to sit and relax:

Happy Valley Cafeteria (Photo Credit)

Looking across Happy Valley from the Cafeteria (Photo Credit)

Happy Valley also houses the lower Cable Car Station, a golf putting course, public toilets and is the main access up to Ski Llandudno ( a dry ski slope and toboggan run).

Why does the water not flow?

Up in the Happy Valley, Llandudno, there is a great water feature that flows down amongst the rock gardens. It starts off as a cascade at the top of the gardens, splashing down over the rocks into a small pond, then runs under a path, racing along a channel from pool to pool until it finally ends up in a larger pool. Or rather...it would if it worked. It's not worked properly this year:

The cascade (to rear of photo). Note absence of....water!

Local authorities never seem to be very good at doing water features (and keeping them working). Are there any water features in the local area that do work properly? Conwy Lancaster Square? Nope. Colwyn Bay Queen's Gardens? Nope. Colwyn Bay Eirias Park Rock Pools? Nope. Colwyn Bay Civic Centre Gardens Pool? Nope.

And Colwyn Bay residents may well remember the infamous Slate Water Sculpture that stood in the redesigned Station Square after the motorway was built. Installed at vast expense, it was basically a massive piece of slate that had water jets fitted in the top. Honestly, it looked pretty rubbish even when it worked. Not that it worked for long - it then sat for a year or two gathering leaves and graffiti until it disappeared one day and was never mentioned again!

Just remembered though, the millstone water feature in Old Colwyn Wynn Gardens does work! And it looks great. I wonder if Conwy Council can work some magic and get the others working again? Especially the one in Happy Valley please.....

New Life for Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay

I'd like people's views on Eirias Park - to my mind, it's a fabulous facility that is sadly underused at present, thanks to decades of underinvestment. It used to be one of Colwyn Bay's most popular attractions...and it should be again.

Maybe it should be handed over to a charitable trust, who could manage it for the benefit of the residents/visitors?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3647372105/

The Heritage Lottery Fund offers grants ranging from £250,000 to £5m under their 'Parks For People' scheme:
http://www.hlf.org.uk/English/HowToApply/OurGrantGivingProgrammes/Parks+for+People/

The 47 acres of fields comprising Eirias Park were purchased by the Council in April 1921. The Rock Gardens and Model Yacht Pond were opened on the 5th July 1930.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3621628269/

Some ideas for Eirias Park:

Rebuild the Pavilion: The original Pavilion (burnt down by vandals in the late 1980s) was situated where the car park area by the bowling greens is now. It contained a cafe, amusements and exhibition space. Rebuild it with a all year round cafe with large glass windows overlooking the Lake, Public Toilets (inside the cafe and maintained by the Leaseholder as part of their lease) and exhibition space for local groups and societies. Demolish the present toilet block and cafe (that's never been open in years) at the top of the hill coming up from the promenade.

Boating Lake: This is getting more neglected every year. I say time to demolish the boathouse, rip out the crumbling concrete sides of the lake and reshape it into a more natural formation, with gravel paths and seats along the edges. Maybe a small island in the middle?

Network of Paths: At present, the paths in Eirias park are a disjointed mess. Time for someone to sit down with a map of the Park and plan out a circular network of paths, enabling people to walk right around the park easily.

Golf Course: I've not seen this open in the last couple of years at all and its pretty much beyond repair now. Time to rip it all out and grass over the tees etc.

Bring back the Stream! - Before the Expressway was built in the 1980s, there was a pleasant stream that ran down a valley, starting from where the Fire Station is on Abergele Road down to the right hand side of the children's playground at the bottom of the park. I say take advantage of the water source and have a small, shallow stream meandering through the park, ending up in a small cascade/waterfall entering the former boating lake.

More Shrubbery & Trees - Let's break up the vast expanse of grass in the park with more planting of native trees and areas of low maintenance shrubbery/perennials. Try and revive the remainder of the once famous Rock Gardens or construct a new one in another area of the park.

Those are just a couple of ideas I've had - please add yours!

How it used to be......

Flower Power

This flower display at Combermere Gardens, Rhos On Sea, is a credit to the work of Conwy Council's Parks & Gardens department:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3823858974/

Apocalypse Now

..Not a reference to the state of local discussion forums but an example of how a tiny bit of Photoshop manipulation can turn a photo of some clouds moving over the boating lake in Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay into something far more sinister looking...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3799443104/

Credit Where It's Due

I took the camera with me for a wander through Happy Valley park in Llandudno today. The results are below. Credit has to be given to the gardeners who take care of the Happy Valley - they do a fantastic job:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3774643099/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3775299012/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3774646901/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3774650643/