Ellington Park to be revitalised with £1.64m National Lottery money

Thanet District Council is delighted to announce that a £1.64m National Lottery grant has been successfully secured to go towards £1.8m investment in Ellington Park, Ramsgate.

This is wonderful news for Ramsgate, as this award will enable the regeneration of this once famous Victorian park.

TDC and the Friends of Ellington Park have worked collaboratively, in a unique partnership, to develop a bid for £1.64m from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund. The partnership achieved a £144k Development Grant in January 2017, and has been developing the plans, with the support of professional design team, the local community and project partners.  After 18 months the Round 2 application was submitted, and this award demonstrates the strength of the project.

“After so many years of hard work, and fantastic support from the people of Ramsgate, we are thrilled to know Ellington Park’s future is secured” said Bev Perkins, Chair of the Friends of Ellington Park “so many people have helped us, and this project can only increase our community’s love of the park and our civic pride.”

There will be a new community café and toilets, a restored bandstand, with landscape works to conserve the terrace and bring back Cheal’s landscape scheme. The grant will fund a series of community events and activities and the park’s wildlife will have improved habitat.

Ellington Park’s revival is central to Ramsgate’s regeneration and will ensure its important heritage remains at the hearts of the local community.  As part of the unique partnership with the Friends of Ellington Park this project will facilitate this much-loved park being brought back to life.

Cllr Jason Savage, Deputy Leader Thanet District Council said: “We are delighted to hear that our application to the Heritage Lottery Fund has been successful. When we submitted our bid we were very hopeful for a positive outcome. This funding is a very significant sum and ensures that we can make great strides on the path to fulfilling the vision for Ellington Park. With the community and ideas that have been put forward, we can be confident that our plans are a genuine reflection of the input received through consultation. We are going to continue our partnership with the Friends of Ellington Park, to ensure that local residents and park users see this historic open space restored.”

The Heritage Lottery Fund’s Chief Executive Ros Kerslake said on behalf of the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund: “From economic prosperity and ecological diversity to personal well-being, parks are essential to the health of the nation. This National Lottery investment will empower local people to maximise the potential of Ellington Park as a community space and safeguard its heritage for future generations.”

This project can be delivered thanks to the support of National Lottery Players, who fund the good causes administered by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund. There will be further announcements as the project starts progressing during 2019.