Ely’s Country Park and Jubilee Gardens have been awarded the Green Flag Award.

Ely’s Country Park and Jubilee Gardens have been awarded the Green Flag Award.

The green spaces are among a record-breaking 1,582 parks which have received a prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

The award recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. A Green Flag flying overhead is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities.

Ely Country Park is an open space which has a number of features including play areas, sculptured walking routes and spectacular views of Ely Cathedral. There are also wildflower areas, woodland, riverside meadows and old gravel working pits.

The impressive Jubilee Gardens with beautiful riverside setting and magnificent Cathedral backdrop incorporates trees, flowers, sculptures and a bandstand, provides a community facility for a wide variety of outdoor events such as fetes, fairs and open-air concerts.

Councillor Richard Hobbs, Chairman of the Commercial Services Committee, said “It is great to hear that both the Country Park and Jubilee Gardens have each been awarded a Green Flag. A huge thanks has to be given to all the people who have helped bring about this fantastic achievement. They have become places where people young and old can go to enjoy nature, play or just enjoy the outdoors. I hope the weather will become a little more summery in the coming days and weeks so we can all enjoy these open spaces.”

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme. All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the thousands of men and women, both staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”

The announcement of this year’s Award winners comes in the same week that thousands of people up and down the country are enjoying Love Parks Week (July 24 to August 2), an annual celebration of our country’s fantastic green spaces and the community groups that bring them to life.