This long-awaited project has been started thanks to a generous donation from the Friends of Upton Country Park.

Over the next four months the garden will be transformed into a space that can be used all year round with new pathways, benches and Purbeck stone entrances. Improved access from the tearooms to the garden via new doors and a patio area will ensure visitors can relax in the garden with their refreshments while overlooking new and existing floral beds.  Another new development will be an automated water feature that can be shut down as necessary to create a dry, level area for marquees and events.  The existing turreted rooms at the bottom of the gardens will be changed from storage to seating areas and refurbished throughout.

Cllr Judy Butt, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Public Engagement and Participation, Borough of Poole, said: "A huge thank you goes to the Friends of Upton Country Park who have been supporting provision for Upton house and garden for decades and are an absolute asset to the people of Poole. There are countless additions in the House and Park made by the Friends over time, The proposed enhancements are really very special and will ensure that Upton Country Park is even more accessible and interactive in the future. I look forward to seeing everyone at the opening set for later this year."

Work on the project is due to be completed on 1 May 2012. 

Further details of the development, plans and an artists impression of the finished garden can be viewed at www.leisureprojects.net/walled-garden.htm

Dig out the thermals and bring the whole family to help work out the clues – look to the trees to work out what ‘raciest therms’ should be, and which ‘great drip’ and ‘chesty rector’ fly in and out of the award-winning park.

Other brain teasers include "Which James Bond film is named after a duck?" and there are small prizes available for the best anagram of something living in or around the country park.

The Advent Anagram Adventure is free and can be found at the Peacock Tearooms located within the grounds.

After a walk around the winter wonderland for inspiration, visitors can escape the cold with a warm mug of hot chocolate or indulge in a piece of cake!

Two small prizes will be awarded for the best anagram with all the correct answers and one prize for the best anagram without all the correct answers.

Entries for the best anagram competition should be returned using the yellow post box in the tearooms by no later than 1 January 2011.

Staff from Leisure Services will be on hand to talk to residents in the Dolphin Shopping Centre on Friday 5 November between 9am and 5.30pm.

Here residents will be asked:

- What they like about Upton Country Park and Upton House

- What they don’t like about Upton Country Park and Upton House

- What would they change about Upton Country Park and Upton House

The country park and Grade II* listed house is a highly-valued and important local heritage asset. However, it costs Borough of Poole approximately three times the income generated from the facility to maintain it every year.

In 2009/10 it cost the council £399,066 to maintain and run services at the house and park, while only £109,163 of income was generated.

The Future Direction of Upton Country Park report, adopted by Cabinet in June 2009, was created to guide the future enhancement of the park and house.

While some progress has been made, a report to the council’s Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 22 July 2010 identified a need to attract more income and proposed plans for a market sounding exercise.

Local businesses and organisations were invited to attend a market sounding day held at Upton Country House on 4 October 2010 where they were offered an opportunity to meet and speak to staff, and given tours of the park, house and farm land.

More than 25 companies and groups were represented on the day and a broad variety of proposals ranging from event ideas and concessions such as a miniature railway, pitch and putt golf, children’s play equipment and a wildlife park, have been submitted.  

The feedback from businesses and the public will be considered by the council’s Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18 November 2010.

Clive Smith, Head of Leisure Services, Borough of Poole, said: "We already know how highly local people value Upton Country Park, however, we also know that people will rather visit alternative attractions even where they have to pay to park or pay an entry fee because of the wider range of facilities on offer there.

"At a time when the council faces significant cut backs in funding, we cannot realistically afford to do nothing about attracting income that will seek to protect and enhance one of Poole’s most important and well-loved assets.

"We have an opportunity to make Upton a much more vibrant country park for residents and visitors, that will in turn help the council to raise much-needed funds to help better maintain this fantastic local asset for future generations to enjoy."

In addition to the information from the market sounding exercise, Leisure Services would also like to present the committee with feedback from local residents and visitors about the park, including their thoughts on what it currently offers and what could improve it for the future.

The session on 5 November in the Dolphin Shopping Centre also presents an opportunity for those that do not currently visit the site to learn more about it and the facilities and activities on offer there.

Children’s activities, including colouring tree decorations, will also be on offer at the stall that will be situated outside Marks and Spencer in the shopping centre.

Anyone that cannot attend the session held at the Dolphin Shopping Centre, but wish to make a suggestion to the council about the future of Upton Country Park can do so by emailing uptoncountrypark@poole.gov.uk until Monday 8 November 2010.

Following this initial stage to gather ideas, further detailed public consultation will take place in 2011.

Hayley Broom

Both parks were assessed on a number of criteria, including management, maintenance, health and safety, conservation and heritage, community involvement and how welcoming the parks are to visitors.

Judges were impressed with the excellent facilities at each park including well-managed green space, signage, and amenities.

Poole Park was judged to be a vibrant place offering a great deal to residents and visitors, and the community involvement at both sites was highly praised.

Cllr Peter Adams, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure, Borough of Poole, said: “We would like to thank staff and the Friends of each park for their continuous support and efforts in making these parks two of the best in the country. We are very fortunate to live in an area where we are surrounded by beautiful and award-winning open spaces and beaches available for us to visit and enjoy.”

Upton Country Park has been awarded a Green Flag four times and this is the second time Poole Park has been awarded the status.

Each park boast more than 100 acres of parkland including woodlands at Upton and freshwater lakes at Poole, which are open and free to the public all year round.

Hayley Pope

Roman Around, part of the Festival of British Archaeology, will feature Roman storytelling, cookery demonstrations and an archaeological finds surgery, all within the atmospheric setting of an authentically reconstructed home from the time of the Roman occupation.

Roman citizen Lepidina will regale visitors with stories of ancient Rome. Demonstrations of Roman cookery will take place throughout the day, so people can find out what the Romans ate, and even taste samples. There will also be an opportunity to handle artefacts from the period and find out how these are cared for once they are excavated. Visitors can bring along their own finds for identification and find out how best to look after them.

The event, organised by Poole Museum Service, also offers people the chance to see inside a Romano-British home – the only example of its kind in the UK. The dwelling is reproduction of a salt worker’s house from the period excavated on the Isle of Purbeck and has been built using authentic materials.

Cllr Peter Adams, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Borough of Poole, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for parents and children to enjoy a day out and learn what it would have been like to live thousands of years ago. Poole has a wonderful heritage and days like this encourage people to discover more about the history of the area.”

Roman Around will take place at Upton Country Park on Saturday 25 July between 11am and 3pm. Entry is free and no booking is required.
For more information contact Katie Gardiner on 01202 262607, or email c.gardiner@poole.gov.uk.

Hayley Pope