As many residents know, Cambridge City Council submitted two successive applications for HLF funding for Jesus Green. Unfortunately both applications were rejected. Today the City Council has released the following press release:
Jesus Green – Parks for People, Lottery Application
Statement
Cambridge City Council and the Jesus Green Association with support from the Conservators of the River Cam submitted a stage one application to the ‘Parks for People’ programme, which is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund (BIG), at the end of February 2012.
The project included work to regenerate the Rouse Ball Pavilion to create a community facility and café, improvements to the path network, drainage and community and training activities.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund (BIG) have assessed a £1m application to their joint parks programme from Cambridge City Council for plans to improve Jesus Green. After careful consideration in a competitive round, it was decided they were unable to support the project.
Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF, said on behalf of both HLF and BIG:
“This was a hard decision, particularly as we recognise that Jesus Green is both historically important and popular in Cambridge. There was much to commend in the Council’s application and we appreciate their disappointment at not receiving our support for this project. The HLF/BIG joint parks budget continues to be very over-subscribed with strong competition for funding; this unfortunately means we are unable to support every good project that comes to us.”
Rod Cantril, Executive Councillor for Arts, Sports & Public Places commented;
We are disappointed that the bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund was not supported but it is our intention to continue to work closely with the Jesus Green Association in order to bring forward further improvements to Jesus Green.
Even as we are, things are not standing still. We have recently refurbished Jesus Green’s tennis courts and will shortly be renovating its children’s play area. It’s unfortunate that we will lack the boost from the Lottery Fund that could have helped us go further and faster, but we will now be looking hard to identify other sources of funding.
Jesus Green Association, Chair, Peter Constable said;
Jesus Green Association fully supported the third bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund under the Parks for People grants. It is therefore a great disappointment to learn that the door has been closed on this opportunity. The main elements of the bid included a community cafe, reconstruction of the paths/cycle paths and drainage to a large part of the Green which is unusable in winter. We appreciate that HLF rejected the bid due to high demand from many other organisations and not because of the nature of the bid.
Jesus Green Association does not feel it appropriate to continue to seek funding from HLF and thanks them for the great consideration they have afforded this project. We will however continue to negotiate with Cambridge City Council in order to ensure that the work described in the bid is carried out.