Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Robert McManners QBE formally opened the Coronation Garden at Bishop Auckland Railway Station last month.
Bishop Auckland and Coundon in Bloom Steering Group member, Stefa McManners took the lead in co-ordinating the project. In less than ten days, the former wasteland was transformed from an overgrown mess, into a welcoming, colourful garden.
Volunteers from the Cultivate4Life and the Station Volunteers cleared the land and planted the flowers; The Auckland Project staff laid the path and the ‘Welcome to Bishop Auckland’ sign was made by Bishop Auckland based Cre8tive Graphics. On the day, the Carousel Catering Co donated food and drink.
Deputy lord Lieutenant McManners said: “Whilst this is a relatively small project, it is of particular significance because of its location – at the very gateway – the entry point to our town by rail.
“First impressions are lasting impressions, and the transformation from a piece of seemingly unloved dereliction to its present status as the Coronation Garden in such a short time is quite remarkable. Whilst clearly this is a work in progress, the project has already brought together many organisations, businesses and individuals through a sense of civic pride.”
Bishop Auckland and Coundon in Bloom Secretary Nigel Bryson welcomed the opening of the Coronation Garden: “This is the first stage of the development of the garden,” he said. “By the 200th Anniversary of the opening of the railways in 2025, the area will be landscaped into a railway themed garden. This first step is testament to what people in a community can achieve, when they work together.”
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
