Watford receives 17 Green Flag awards for it’s Parks – the most in Hertfordshire

Watford’s green spaces have been granted more Green Flag awards than any other district in Hertfordshire for the sixth year running.

The awards acknowledge areas with the highest possible environmental, maintenance and visitor standards.

The new Green Flag Parks are:
🌳 Garston Park
🌳 King George V Playing Fields
🌳 Oxhey Activity Park
🌳 Lea Farm Rec
🌳 Oxhey Grange/Watford Heath.

The 2021 Green Flag status parks in Watford are: Callowland Recreation Ground, Cassiobury Park, Cheslyn House and Gardens, Garston Park, Goodwood Recreation Ground, Harwoods Recreation Ground, KGV Playing Fields, Lea Farm Rec, North Watford Cemetery, Orchard Park, Oxhey Activity Park, Oxhey Grange/Watford Heath, Oxhey Park, Paddock Road Allotments, St Mary’s Churchyard, Waterfields Recreation Ground and Woodside Playing Fields.

Oxhey Activity Park receiving the Herts Service to Sport Award, and also being shortlisted at the Building for the Futures Awards and Landscape Institute Awards, as well as Cassiobury Park receiving a Green Heritage Site Award.

Both parks were also recognised by Keep Britain Tidy, with Cassiobury Park nominated as one of the top 10 parks in the UK and Oxhey Park in the top 25.

Local Mayor Peter Taylor said “In 2018, I promised to continue investing in our parks so that we would have 16 Green Flag Awards. I am so pleased to be able to say that, thanks to the hard work of so many people in our town, we have outdone our target and have today been awarded 17 Green Flag Awards!

He added “Thank you so much to all the friends groups and staff at Watford Council and Veolia for their work making sure our parks are as good as they can be.

“There is strong evidence that open green spaces have a huge impact on people’s health and well-being and we are committed to enabling people access to places where they can connect with nature, take exercise and also have fun. I would also like to thank Veolia staff and the ‘Friends of’ groups who do so much to keep our parks in a good condition.”

Darren Harding, Senior Contract Manager at Veolia said: “We are absolutely delighted to have retained the 12 Green Flags and be awarded a further five making the grand total 17. The awards are so important for recognising the value of our parks and green spaces to both biodiversity and people’s health and well-being. I would like to thank the Parks and Open spaces team at Veolia for their hard work in preserving these environments, the support from Watford Borough Council and   the volunteers and community groups that have also contributed to making 2021 another record breaking year for Watford’s parks.”