The photo shows the newly power washed Steps at Riverside Gardens. many thanks to our friends from the Bradford Countryside Service who provided the equipment and expertise, and to the volunteers who helped on the day. The Steps area is looking great! FOIRP volunteers have made the most of the good weather throughout July and August and have cracked on with a number of tasks in Riverside Gardens. In particular the area either side the Steps and the platform area nearby have been cleared of weeds and trimmed back of overgrown shrubs, following the great work done to refurbish the Memorial area at the bottom of the Steps where the Memorial benches were refurbished and new plaques put on following the damage to the original ones from the Queens Jubilee refurbishment in 2012.
The benches and flowerbeds by the Hotel have been given an extra coat of stain to build on our work last year so they look in top shape. After being planted up with flowering shrubs last year our volunteers have continued to weed and and keep the beds looking tidy. A number of bins have also been refurbished with a fresh coat of paint and cracks filled so the 1989 bins look like they have just been installed again, complete with gold trim. The never ending task of path edging continues ( a bit like the Forth Railway Bridge!) but it's great to see the effect it has on the general look of the Park. Despite regular action to pick litter in all the Park areas this continues to be a problem, and we will be joining in the Ilkley Clean Litter campaign in September as part of the national; push to address this essentially cultural problem.
New volunteers are always welcome, as the jobs to improve the Park always keep coning!

"Do you work for the Council?" The standard question we get asked when we are working in the Park. Well now there is no excuse, as we have new Hi Vis Jackets with our name and logo on the back. Why not stop for a chat and ask what we are doing and our hopes for the park areas in the future. Always happy to have a break from the work and have a chat!