Construction begins on new ‘Access for All Path’ at Park Fields in Parkgate

An Access for All Path is now being constructed at Park Fields in Parkgate, thanks to fundraising by the local ‘friends of’ group, using crowd-funding through the Cheshire West Crowd.

The Friends of Park Fields are delighted that construction is now underway on the long‑awaited facility, a major milestone for the project which is now becoming a reality through generosity, collaboration, and dedicated behind‑the‑scenes work.

The vision for an accessible path first emerged at the group’s 2024 AGM, when someone mentioned that reduced mobility meant they could no longer visit the green space due to the lack of a suitable path and accessible entry points.

As the Committee and management team explored the issue, it became clear that this was not an isolated case. Many people in the community were effectively excluded from enjoying the field and its views because of access limitations. The Committee committed to finding a practical and inclusive solution—and the ‘Access for All Path’ project was born.

The group developed their project and uploaded their fundraising page onto Cheshire West Crowd, Cheshire West and Chester Council’s crowdfunding platform. 

Members of the friends of group and the local community responded with exceptional generosity.  Thanks to this support, the project secured matched funding from the Council.

The design of the path and new seating has been carefully developed using feedback from the Friends of Park Fields, the Council’s Disability Advisory team and Greenspaces team.

This collaborative approach has resulted in a design that balances accessibility, usability, and respect for the natural setting—something now visible as the work takes shape on the Field.

The Chair of the Friends of Park Fields, Colin Nicol said:

“We are delighted that, through the generosity of our members and a great deal of work behind the scenes, construction of the Access for All Path is now underway. It will allow more of the community to enjoy the Field, its views, and its tranquillity.

“The project also includes new seating, and we aim to continue enhancing this area as resources allow.”

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhood Pride, Cllr Stuart Bingham said: “It is great to see a project come to life thanks to the hard work, collaboration and generosity of local communities. This is the kind of difference fundraising through Cheshire West Crowd can achieve for community-led projects – please consider supporting a project near you.  Congratulations to everyone involved in the Access for All Path.”

As construction progresses, Friends of Park Fields will continue to share updates and look forward to welcoming more people than ever to enjoy this beautiful local space.

A wide range of exciting new community-led projects have now started fundraising on the platform.

To support a local project near you visit the Cheshire West Crowd website, you can pledge from just £2.

Find out more about the Friends of Park Fields at: 

www.friendsofparkfields.org

Pictured - The Access for All Path taking shape at Park Fields in Parkgate.