A celebration of parks

On Monday, July 17, Glasgow is set to hold a day of traditional garden games alongside a family picnic at Kelvingrove Park in celebration of Love Parks Week (July 14-23).
Love Parks WeekLove Parks Week
Love Parks Week

Held annually, Love Parks Week is an initiative run by Keep Britain Tidy which encourages communities to show their support and appreciation for their local parks.

In Glasgow, there are more than 90 parks and green spaces, with eight of the city’s larger parks winning the coveted Green Flag Award - the benchmark standard for UK parks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hosted by ParkLives in partnership with Glasgow Sport, the garden games and picnic will see families from across the city invited to bring along a picnic lunch and take part in a whole host of fun, free traditional garden games from 2pm-3pm. Games will range from giant jenga and soft archery to swing ball.

In addition, the people of Glasgow are invited to an open day at Maryhill tennis courts hosted by Hillhead Tennis Club in Maryhill on Saturday 15th July. The previously dilapidated courts have been given a refresh by Friends of Maryhill Park and Glasgow Sport and will be open to the public to enjoy from 1.30pm-3pm.

More free activities will be on offer throughout the week, including parkfit, yoga and quidditch.

Cllr David McDonald, Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “Love Parks Week is a reminder to us all to continue to use and support our local parks and recognise the local groups who work so hard to keep them safe and welcoming places for all of us to enjoy. The ParkLives Garden Games and Tennis events are a great way to kick-start the celebrations and I hope families from across the city enjoy the activities on offer throughout the week and are inspired to visit their local park more often.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stephanie Greenhorn, ParkLives Programme Manager at Glasgow Life said “Spending time in your local park is great way to get in some real ‘me’ time, enjoy the great outdoors and meet new friends. Without free access to local parks and green spaces, none of this would be possible. I hope the people of Glasgow will be showing support for their ‘dear green place’ during Love Parks Week, I know I will be!”

Now in its third year in Glasgow, ParkLives runs in 10 cities nationwide and is part of a £20 million commitment by Coca-Cola Great Britain to invest in community-based programmes. Activities are delivered by teams from Glasgow Sport and are designed to help to bring communities together and improve wellbeing.

Liz Lowe, ParkLives lead at Coca-Cola Great Britain, said: “Local parks play such an important role in the physical and mental wellbeing of communities. For some, they are a serene retreat from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, for others they offer the chance to enjoy fun activities, learn new skills and meet up with friends.

“The ParkLives sessions we host in Glasgow are designed to help local people make the most of their city’s great outdoor spaces, whether that’s relaxing with a spot of parent and child yoga, joining in with family fencing or getting active with Couch to 5K. There’s something for all ages and abilities in the programme, so if you haven’t joined us yet, Love Parks Week is a great time to start!”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To join ParkLives’ Garden Games and Picnic at Kelvingrove Gardens meet at the Lawn Bowls and Tennis Pavilion for a 2pm start. For finals day at Maryhill tennis courts hosted by Hillhead Tennis Club, simply turn up on the day from 1.30pm

The ParkLives summer timetable will run throughout the summer months. To find out more about the programme and save a space in sessions, visit www.parklives.com.

Related topics: