PROJECT: LISTER PARK
CONSTITUENCY: BRADFORD WEST
LOCAL AUTHORITY: BRADFORD
AMOUNT AWARDED: £3,220,500

By developing Lister Park as the focus for many community activities, HLF is helping to build the esteem and self-confidence that goes hand in hand with the Bradford Metropolitan District Council’s resolve to build cohesive communities and raise attainment and aspirations. HLF’s grant of £3. 2 million to the council to restore and enhance the facilities within the park is one example of HLF’s commitment to the regeneration of Bradford, demonstrated in more than £18 million worth of investment in more than 40 different initiatives.

Lister Park originally opened to the public in October 1870 and had been a popular destination for the culturally diverse population of Bradford until deterioration in the facilities led to vandalism and the sense that the park was no longer safe. The principal aim of this regeneration project was, therefore, to rebuild a safe and welcoming park with a range of high-quality facilities to bring back high levels of usage. HLF’s funding also aimed to create and enhance community cohesion within the surrounding area, through extensive community consultation and stakeholder involvement in the project.

The project brought about significant improvements to listed structures in the park, and a new Mughal Water Garden was created on a previously derelict area of the site. New play facilities were introduced for all age groups, in particular for children with special needs. Improvements were also carried out to the botanical gardens, including the relocation of a fossil tree stump with a new geological time clock incorporating fossil imprints, and the re-establishment of a geological trail, linked to the National Curriculum and supported by an outdoor classroom area.

Lister Park Boating Pavilion
Lister Park today is the focus for many community activities. It is a vital resource for schools in the Bradford area and now receives visits from three or four school groups per week. Five new jobs have been created, and the park contributes to the local economy by hosting a number of events, including Bradford Festival events in July, with involvement from all sections of the community. The bandstand has become a popular venue for concerts, and the Mughal Garden has become a destination in its own right.

As a direct result of the improvements, a Friends of Lister Park group has been created by interested members of the community, and this now has over 80 members. An Asian ladies’ walking group has also been established in the park, in line with the government’s objective of promoting walking to improve health.

It is clear that this scheme has had a tremendous impact on the whole community. The park has, in addition, created a number of part-time jobs within the boating pavilion and coffee shop, which employ between two and five people on a seasonal basis.