Prestatyn community woodland opens to the public

Jun 4 2008 by David Rutland, Rhyl Visitor

Prestatyn woodland

A COMMUNITY woodland at Prestatyn which has taken more than a decade to complete will officially open its gates this weekend.

Built on the site of an open tip, volunteers have transformed the area into an idyllic haven of peace, tranquillity and trees.

The area has become popular with walkers since work was started in 1997, and the park was officially opened on Monday by Ian Miller, chief executive of Denbighshire County Council.

Sophia Drew, chairman of the Prestatyn and District Environment Association, said: “It’s been hard work and it’s taken a long time, but it’s done now.

“We’ve created a vast area of developing woodland in the middle of Prestatyn and we want people to come to it.

“We’ve opened it properly and the main thing is that the people of Prestatyn can come here and enjoy themselves and walk in a safe area.”

The tip on which the woodland is built was closed in the 1960s and a decade later was covered over by Rhuddlan Borough Council, who planted meadow grass on the site.

It remained in that state until 1997, when council officer Peter Bagnall started the project by planting trees on the site.

Although many of the original trees died due to poor soil conditions and Peter himself passed away shortly after retirement, his work was carried on by the environment group.

“We’ve put in paths and planted over 5,000 trees,” said Sophia. “We’ve put in signs and information boards, we’ve had a gateway made by the Meliden Forge blacksmith of metal leaves in an archway.

“We’ve tarmacked the car park and fenced it off – we’ve created a beautiful area.”

The project took £127,000 to complete, which came as grants from the Welsh Assembly, and the volunteers were helped by workers from Denbighshire countryside services.

Although the hard work is now over, Sophia is even now making plans for the woodland’s future.

“It won’t happen during my lifetime, but maybe in 20 or 30 years when the trees are mature this will be made a conservation area and nothing will ever be built on it,” she added.

david.rutland