Official opening of Papdale East Community Park

Council Convener Graham Bevan will cut the ribbon to officially open the Papdale East Community Park in Kirkwall on Friday 21 April.

The community are invited along to celebrate the occasion from 12noon until 4.30pm with speeches, guided walks, a treasure hunt and light refreshments available.

A professional bike mechanic from Cycle Orkney will be on hand to offer a free Dr Bike service between 2 and 4pm and Magda Choluj, Cycling UK’s Rural Connections Development Officer in Orkney, will be on hand to showcase her adaptive e-cycles and e-bikes for anyone who would like to try them out.  She will also be taking Papdale Primary pupils on a Bike Picnic after school up to the park.  Local community group Papdale East Play Association (PEPA) will be providing teas and coffees (please bring your own flask if possible), hosting a bake sale and you can take part throughout the afternoon in their stone hunt.

Members of the project team and funders will also be available to answer any questions, and display boards will be on show within the park to outline the story so far and designs for phase two – the PEPA play area.

If the weather is good, folk are encouraged to take a picnic along and make an afternoon of it.

The new and improved community space at Papdale opened in the autumn of 2022 and many have been enjoying its benefits since.

The Park, which is for all ages and abilities, features a deculverted burn, a network of paths and cycle ways, native shrubs and trees, and a wildflower meadow.

A new road crossing links the park to Kirkwall Grammar School and a plaza has been created for community use.

The £670,000 cost of phase one has been funded by Orkney Islands Council, Places for Everyone which is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans, and NatureScot’s Biodiversity Challenge Fund, with additional funding coming from a Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes grant allocation and the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund.  Design work was funded by HITRANS.

The project has also been supported by the Orkney Woodland Project and The Woodland Trust and the work carried out by Andrew Sinclair Contractors.

Working with the community, the design team led by HarrisonStevens took the original stage 2 concept first to stage 3 and through planning, and then on to tender and construction.

At each stage, the emerging design was measured against community feedback to ensure the best design was produced, also to futureproof it against the impacts of climate change, changing technology and site usage, and an expected increase in active travel.

The proposed development of the area originated from the Your Kirkwall Place Plan engagements, during 2018 through which PEPA brought forward ideas to improve the play park to complement the wider community aspirations. It was also born out of the Council’s Play Area Strategy, which identifies Papdale East as an area where opportunities for play were in need of improvement.

Convener, Councillor Graham Bevan, said: “It is an honour to be asked to perform the official opening of this new, much improved community park space within Kirkwall which is for everyone to enjoy.

“It is so important to retain green spaces within our towns as we all know how important getting outdoors, enjoying some fresh air, exercise, greenery and wildlife is to our physical and mental wellbeing.”

Garry Burton, OIC Leisure and Culture Service Manager, said: “The official opening is a way to celebrate the significant team effort from all involved in the creation of this fantastic space in the heart of Kirkwall that is now being enjoyed by so many.

“We now look forward to phase two and the installation of a new play area thanks to the ongoing hard work and dedication of the community group PEPA.”

Michael Harvey, Orkney’s Sustrans Senior Project Officer said ‘We are so excited to see the completion the Papdale East Park project.  It has been a pleasure to work with PEPA and the Council to reach this stage and feedback has been very positive. Routes such as this are such an important step into helping more people to walk, wheel, and cycle’.

Lauren Currie, treasurer and activity co-ordinator with PEPA, said: “We have had a phenomenal response from the public supporting us and engaging with fundraising and activities.  It is such a joy to see the children running around looking for painted stones as part of our PEPA Easter Hunt.  People of all ages are using the park grounds, walking, cycling and using the space that is there already.   We are so looking forward to a play park in situ for all families to enjoy.   

“We feel Phase 1 has already attracted so many new users to the park.  Our thanks to all who helped us through Phase 1 and getting us ready for Phase 2 most notably Garry Burton OIC, Michael Harvey SUSTRANS, Liz Leech HarrisonStevens, HITRANS, NatureScot, our committee members and members of the public.The project is alive and ready to blossom as a result of their efforts.”