Residents throughout Newton Aycliffe are coming forward to join the new community group “Friends of West Park”.
The park popular with dog walkers and animal lovers boasts two lakes installed by Aycliffe Development Corporation previously used for model boats and small pedallo type craft.
With a country park feel, nestled closely to the town centre of our vibrant town, the new group are aiming to enhance this lovely part of Newton Aycliffe by volunteering to help park staff in keeping the area litter free and suggesting to Great Aycliffe Town Council improvements to the facilities and beauty of the park.
As a constituted group residents may attract grants and sponsorship to finance improvements such as bulb planting or even toilet facilities, relieving pressure on local government finance.
The group would like to collaborate with the local authority and would welcome the participation of all town and county councillors as well as council officers. The object is not to take over the running of the park but to supplement and assist where possible those staff who work hard to keep the park in peak condition.
Recently grants from Councillor Mike Dixon and the late Enid Paylor resulted in the installation of outside exercise equipment. The Greenfield group staged a successful “Stepping Out” extravaganza and new seating has been installed.
Local community activist Ken Robson chairman of ACORN Residents Association who is spearheading the formation of the group comments “We are the luckiest people in the country to be able to live and work in Newton Aycliffe, the community spirit here is amazing and I really feel that year on year our town is evolving. Facilities adopted by the public will encourage a feeling of ownership and pride in residents”
The recent announcement of investment by Hitachi and other thriving companies such as Ebac inspires optimism in the future. The refurbishment of Aycliffe Town Centre is improving the look and feel of the town encouraging shoppers from far and wide.
Under the direction of GACAP and others, community groups are collaborating for the benefit of all. Livin are underlining their confidence in  the town with sympathetic social housing developments providing desperately needed good quality housing to ensure families can  live close to relatives.
A group of interested citizens are gathering at the Royal Navy Club on February 18th  at 7pm to discuss a way forward and adopt a constitution. Anyone from the Great Aycliffe area is invited to attend. and this will be a fantastic opportunity to make new friends and feel useful in building an already great project.
“It really is great to live in Great Aycliffe” said Ken.