14.10.2021

Flags will fly above Cardiff's parks and green spaces following an announcement today by Keep Wales Tidy.

Waterloo Gardens has been awarded the prestigious Green Flag for the first time, meaning 15 parks and green spaces managed by Cardiff Council now hold this this coveted international accolade.

Bute Park, Cardiff Bay Barrage, Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve, Cathays Cemetery, Flat Holm Island, Forest Farm, Grange Gardens, Hailey Park, Heath Park, Parc Cefn Onn, Roath Park, Rumney Hill Gardens, Thornhill Cemetery and Victoria Park have all retained their existing awards.

The awards are judged by independent green space experts against a range of strict criteria including biodiversity, community involvement, cleanliness and environmental management.

In celebration of the city's Green Flag success, which also includes 19 Community Awards and a Full Green Flag Award for St Fagan's Natural History Museum, Cardiff City Hall and the Barrage sails will be lit in green this evening.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Peter Bradbury, said: "Cardiff now has more Green Flag spaces than anywhere else in Wales and to add Waterloo Gardens this year is a testament to the commitment and hard work of the team."

"The experiences of the last 18 months have caused many people to re-evaluate their priorities and think about environmental issues and our parks and green spaces have become more important than ever.

"This is a fantastic achievement for our dedicated council staff and Friends Groups whohave done an incredible job maintaining our parks under the most challenging circumstances."

"Our Friends Groups and volunteers are vital to our city's parks - this has become even more apparent with the community events over the last few months - and I'd like to thank them for the work they have put in to help us achieve the high standards needed for Green Flag status."

Geraint Huw Denison-Kurg, Secretary for Friends of Penylan's Gardens said:"We are absolutely delighted that Waterloo Gardens has been awarded a Green Flag following a concerted effort by the council's Parks Department.

"Along with our newly-formed Friends group, we hope this will be a new era of conservation and improvement in Waterloo Gardens, ensuring that they will be enjoyed by Cardiffians for generations to come."

The Green Flag award programme is delivered in Wales by environmental charity, Keep Wales Tidy, with support from Welsh Government.

Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy said:"The pandemic showed us just how important high-quality parks and green spaces are to our communities. With more visitors than ever enjoying our green spaces, I'd like to congratulate the hard work of staff and volunteers who have maintained excellent standards at these sites."

A full list of award winners can be found on the Keep Wales Tidy website  www.keepwalestidy.cymru