Christmas arrived early in Mill Hill this year with the unveiling of a new community area for residents.
The new area, which was used for the Mill Hill Christmas Market and Lights Switch-On in late November, will benefit the entire community as a central meeting place with seating and planting facilities that can be flexibly moved to support market and event days, as well as being available for every day use.
Barnet Council, in conjunction with Mill Hill Neighbourhood Forum and Groundwork (delivering work on behalf of TESCO Supermarkets), provided funding to create the space on Brockenhurst Gardens where it meets the Broadway.
At the unveiling the new space to the public, Councillor Val Duschinsky and Deputy Mayor of Barnet, said: “I’m pleased to be able to open this space, which will allow for more community activities to be held in Mill Hill and encourage visitors to the area. It’s a project which will not only support the businesses in the high street, but improve the overall look and feel of the area.
“This is a great example of what can be achieved when you have the council, community groups and businesses all working together for a unified cause.”
John Gillett, Chair of the Mill Hill Neighbourhood Forum, said: “This is just one of the many initiatives we have to improve our area. The opening brought the entire community together with carol singers from local churches and schools and the tree was full of baubles that had been created by the school children in this area.
“Our aim was to put on an event that would appeal to all, involving a wide cross section of the community, thus increasing the footfall of people into our town centre.”
Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “Bags of Help continues to enable local communities up and down the UK to improve the local spaces and places that matter to them. The diversity of projects that are being funded shows that local communities have a passion to create something great in their area. We are pleased to be able to be a part of the journey and provide support and encouragement to help local communities thrive.”
