New city centre park to be completed this month

The 10,000 square metre Norfolk Gardens Park area is covered with grass, plants, new trails, cycle lanes and even a stepping stone.

And this week, a huge piece of art will be installed in the “parklet” nearby the old Hoelings parking lot.

Once completed, the current tower height by Saad Qureshi will be 15 meters high. It will be based in the park for about eight months as part of the Cultural District of Bradford.

First section of the currently installed tower The park is the final part of a huge project to walk through the streets of several city centres.

The work has been completed to plant Market Street, Bank Street, Bridge Street and Broadway into a pedestrian square with new seating. Bradford Council says Norfolk Gardens Park is expected to be completed “by mid-April until late April.”

173 shrubs, including over 7,700 plants and 57 173 shrubs, have been planted in the area within the last few weeks.

Tree varieties include planted birch, rowan, maple, lime, Juneberry trees, and cherry trees planted to form tree boulevards.

A new green space has been created New signs have also been installed to guide people to various areas in the city centre.

Street furniture has also been added, including benches and street lighting pillars, and a stool marking the historic waterway of Bowlingbeck running under the garden.

Surrounded by meadows and marsh land plants, the footstone creates a space for nature.

The opening day will be the second half of this month

The park also welcomes the relocation of the mermaid statue seen on the Jacobs Metro in Jacobs' well. The subway and roundabout were replaced by transcendent parts of the work.

The final resin combines the gravel surfaces of the sidewalk with the bike path connecting the area through the gardens and at Jacob Swell, and the hole-in-swing will be one of the final constructions to be completed before this area is opened.

The area next to the park, just outside St. George's Hall, is scheduled to host the “Big Brass Blowout” (a brass band celebration) on April 12th.

The extended park offers a new, tidy view of the city hall

The work is funded through the government's Transformation Urban Fund and was first announced in March 2020.

“We've been working hard to get the most out of our lives,” said Scott Donson, portfolio director at Balfour Beatty.

“This newly created green space with trees, shrubs and sustainable landscaping will provide lasting benefits to the community, promote biodiversity and create an environment for Bradford for both residents and visitors.”