Free Community Event to Celebrate West Smethwick Park Refurbishment

A £5.1 million transformation of West Smethwick Park is being celebrated with a free community event for local residents next Sunday, 21 August.

The restoration and improvement project – which includes the new Pavilion with café, historic restorations and landscape improvements, and a dedicated West Smethwick Park community engagement coordinator – has been made possible thanks to a £4.5 million National Lottery Heritage Fund Parks For People grant with the remaining monies coming from Sandwell Council.

The restoration and improvement project has benefited from engagement and input from the Friends of West Smethwick Park, community groups, and residents.

The community launch event – which will see the official opening of the new West Smethwick Park Pavilion Building at 11am by the Leader of Sandwell Council, Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, Councillor Laura Rollins – will see a free family fun day of activities, events and celebration to mark a new chapter in the history of the much-loved park.

Attractions include: * live music and stage performances all day * crafts and storytelling * Bollywood dance and Dhol drumming performance and workshops * steel pan performance and workshops * circus skills, stilt walkers and giant bubbles * Farm to Town with animals and fake milking goat * free sporting activities * community stalls * food and drink including hot samosas and a bar and pizza tent heritage display and other local live performers include Gary Bell (Jazz), Tom Heyes (Brat Pack) and local band Thunder Chunky.

The official opening of West Smethwick Park Pavilion takes place on Sunday, 21 August at 11am with a full day of community activities, events and celebration from 10am-7pm.

In addition, drop-in sessions are being held for local residents to visit the Pavilion and to suggest ideas for use. The next two are: Wednesday, 17 August from 4pm until 8pm, and Thursday, 18 August from 6.30pm-8pm.

For more information on the community launch event, facilities at the Pavilion and details of drop-in sessions, go to www.visitsandwell.com