by Angela Cole
acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

Teddy bears will parachute from the skies to mark the completion of a multi-million pound project to improve Maidstone’s biggest park.

It has taken almost a year and £2.6m – of which £1.8m was a Heritage Lottery Fund grant – to transform Mote Park into a 21st century space for all.

Maidstone council’s regeneration scheme has brought new paths, signs and maps to the 459 acre site.

It has also included two new and improved play areas, extra car parking and a raft of environmental improvements, from clearing undergrowth and rebuilding a bridge over the lake, to the planting of hundreds of extra trees.

It was almost five years ago that the council received the first stage of its lottery funding of £500,000.

Its aim was to make the park a more pleasant place to visit and attract more people and the fun day planned to mark the end of the works next Sunday, June 24, should demonstrate that it has been successful.

There will be hundreds of kites flying, both by amateurs and professionals and children will be able to bring their own or make and fly some of the free kits on offer on the day.

They can also bring their teddy bears, which will then be hoisted and parachuted down from kites.

Visitors will be able to enjoy stalls and sideshows, live music by youth bands, face painting and arts and crafts from 11am to 5pm.

The Mayor of Maidstone Cllr Rodd Nelson-Gracie will also rub shoulders with children’s favourites Peppa Pig and her little brother George.

Cabinet member John A Wilson (Con) said: “It looks so nice, we should be really proud of it. They have now opened up the views and it looks great.

“I was in the park last week, speaking to people, and by and large they were urban residents and they were over the moon with it. There are definitely a lot more visitors to the park, especially younger people.”