I'm not going to bang on about how fantastic Queens park will look in 12, 18 or 24 months. I've done that for the last year. I reckon you'll have to judge for yourselves. Still, that won't stop me taking the odd trek around the place and reporting back. Suffice to say, the work that has taken place is nowt short of incredible. And it's like an iceberg - the bulk of the hard work is below the surface. However, one group that have gone largely unnoticed is the dedicated bunch of gardeners based at the park. While dedicated council officers and various contractors have been plotting for the future, the current park staff have been keeping the existing infrastructure ticking over. There are now five full-time staff (pictured left, plus the parky), who work around the site on a daily basis. Now some will ask what they do, so the snap to the left goes some way to answering that. If the weather is bad the lads are indoors repairing, painting or preparing for better times. Oh, and during the cold snap, they have been out and about gritting every day.
. .
I was lucky enough to take a trip behind the fences at the park with Ade, a gardener with five years of QP experience under his belt. And I tell you what, I was mighty impressed with his passion for the place. If he's not raking the extensive flower beds, sorting out the leaves and mulch, he's clipping and pruning, installing bird boxes or planting new stock ahead of spring. It never ends. And he told me how much he loves the job. If money was no object, he'd add endless plants, features and attractions. So it must be frustrating for such a creative talent.
. .
Still, he's looking forward to the "new" park that should be delivered within the next 12-14 months. The bridge bases are almost complete, the gabion baskets (above) full of rocks now edge the lake, trees have fallen, drainage is in place and smart railings await a lick of paint. We walked down some of the paths that I used to visit with my kids (right) and I recalled numerous afternoons enjoying the dappled light and tinkle of the stream. It's strange, but much of the park has been sealed off for nearly two years. Some young kids will have no memories of the tree-lined walkways, the birds and animals and the lakeside activities.
Oh, and don't forget the extensive tree planting that has been done to complement the stock that still stands tall from day one of the park's existence. Indeed, the Limes (pictured, right) have been aligned to draw the eye to the impressive specimens that stand either side of the cafe. Nice touch. As for some of the new bridges, well, they will put some national structures to shame... just wait and see!
One of the main components of the Queens Park that no one really
looks at is the trees. They form the basis of the design and are just
there in the background and often over looked. But there are some
magnificent trees to be seen. These pictures were all taken on Easter
Monday 2009, you can take pictures of the park and two weeks later it
can look so different as the trees change the background
History of the
Trees
It is reputed that there are only five trees to remind everyone of
the hedgerows from the Fields of the original farmlands of over a
hundred years ago. They are of course all Oak, three are by the play
area, whilst two more are near the Aviary.
Most of the trees within the Park have been planted under the
guidance of the four Park Curators. Obviously many were planted when
the Park was first being created, for instance, the giant Atlantic
Cedars. Many of the trees which have been planted by successive
Curators over the last 40 or 50 years are now reaching maturity, so
its these people to thank for such a remarkable array of trees
within the Park
This old tree is next to the bowling green and child's play area and must be very old now it just dominates the landscape
By the lake but taken from across the other side with a telephoto lens you can see the shape and
colours of some of the trees near the old bridge to Burma Island
Near to the cafe again taken from the other side the weeping tree is
marvellous this time of year and it show the empty lake
This is a tree next to the cafe and its shape is very unusual its a
marvellous tree climbed by kids for years
This conifer tree near the lake shows not only the tree but the mud piled up behind it that was taken from the lake which is now like a mountain on the top part of the park. What they will do with it is
anyone's guess
The Queens Park Lake before it was drained taken 24-7-2007
The Lake after its been drained but full of rain water taken near the Golf Coarse 7/7/2008
The big hill that lead down to the Coronation Walk and bird house. Taken 7/10/2008
The sign in the Queens park
Queens park lake 10/7/2008 the lake is all fenced off and the digger is working on the far side
Queens Park Cafe taken 7/10/2008 taken from the lake
The fossilised remains of a Club Moss Tree, a
Lepidodendron, dated back to the Devonian period, some 320 million
years ago,
is located in the path which leads from the Cafeteria down to the
lake. This fossilised tree was given to the Park by John Knott when
he was Mayor of
Crewe in 1888/9.
The main path in to the Park from Wisaston Rd taken 19/7/2008 this is one of the few paths now open
Flower bed by the main lodge taken 19/07/2008. This is one of the first sites people see when entering the park
The main lodge and clock tower taken from the main road taken 8/9/2008
The main lake taken from the golf coarse taken 6/08/2008. Note the bridge has been removed in the background
Lake by the golf coarse with the center island bare after all the bushes have been removed Taken 16/9/2008
Same picture as above but taken 16/11/2008 when the snow and ice was about
Main drive taken 2/2/2009 when the snow and frost were about
The diggers dredging the lake at the golf coarse end
The regeneration of the Queens Park has come to a halt as the contractor has gone bankrupt. This is a virtual tour of the state of the park April 2009. We can then show you updates as they happen once the new contractor starts work.
We start at the entrance by the BMX track and enter the park
We come to the children's area and the old shelter which is in need of restoration.
Turning to our right there used to be green houses with lots of plants for the park during the summer months this has all gone now
Down to the lake which has been drained and the islands trees removed first is the top end near the golf coarse
Then the main part near the entrance
The bridge to Burma Island has been removed but the footings for the new bridge are in ready
We then come to the Cafe and the memorial
The path down to the band stand and the bird houses has been removed but again new footings are in ready
We then come to the main entrance
On the right is the tribute to Diana
We cant turn left as its fenced off but we can see what was the wall garden and little pool
What was the Coronation walk down the the bird houses has all been removed.
Up the hill we have the garden for the blind which is still going but no one can get to it
Finally we come to the old Band Stand were there used to be bands playing on a Sunday in the summer
Walking around we come to the other entrance which is blocked of and the old shelter is still there in need of repair
The lake looks like
Autumn again with the bridge and island
Click on any image to see a full size picture
To see a slideshow of all the Queens Park Pictures click
here
15 May 2009 I was privileged to be able to get behind the barriers in the Queens Park to report for the website. I like everyone else hadn't seen behind the barriers for years and I found it very sad I remember a few years ago going to the park everyday with the dog and listening to the news at 1 pm sitting in the park by the walled garden or the blind garden along with many other people on their lunch break. Then it was in beautiful condition full of flowers roses and bushes.
What I found was a park that had reverted back to nature overgrown in a mess I saw rabbits the size of dogs running about in the long grass. I am sure it will all come together in the end but there is a lot of work to get it back to any way near its old self. I was the head gardener at Bostock hall a similar place to the Park with lake, woods etc and that was is in a rundown state and took years just getting the grass back to a reasonable state.
I have been given permission to return to the Park and take new photos as work develops so we can report it on the website. The website will in effect become a living history book of the restoration which is a new use of a website. The press can print an odd photo of the site but we can produce videos and lots of pictures for users to see the progress until its final finish probably 2010
Above the Band stand flanked by the 2 trees some work has been done to the bandstand this week
The top lawn area near the blind scented garden with the magnificent weeping tree note how half lawn cut and half uncut
The top lawn again facing the other way showing the entrance to the scented garden
Coronation walk once a rose covered walk to the bird houses
Further down the path past the coronation walk
The same path further down with dirty path and old seat
The other side of the path along the woodland walk still a very beautiful walk
Down by the lake and Burma Island close up
The footing for the new bridge to Burma island already to go just awaiting the bridge
The old bridge just past the cafe again the footing are in ready to go
The top lawn with the mud taken from the lake which will be used within the park
Another view of the woodland walk by the little stream
The old water fall next to the birdhouse that was
The walk from up the hill showing the wild grass
The walled garden once full of roses and plants now bare the water fall will not be replaced
The main entrance in full bloom
The scented garden created for blind users
View across the lake of the other side of the park I will try and get some photos of that side in the near future
Some pictures sent in and other taken May 2009. There has been heavy rain and the Valley Brook has been flooded resulting in the wormscrew getting full of rubbish washed down from the brook.
For those that don't know and in simple terms the wormscrew(seen below) was made in Crewe Works in 1913 and still in use today. At the Tipkinder end the water enters from the Valley Brook and when the gates are open the water flows under the park lake.
It then comes out at the old bridge on the golf coarse(seen below)and goes under the golf coarse and continues in the brook down to the Rising Sun. If the gates are closed the water flows into the park lake to fill it and if its too full they can open the gates at the golf coarse to drain any excess. So the simple method controls the lake and prevents flooding
Some pictures sent in by reader dates unknown. Below the island with all its bushes compare it to other photos of the present were the islands are bare
An old picture of the lake
The lake again with ducks one of the main attractions of the park for kids
. 
