Corporation Park A ZIne By Max Fearon
Infromation Corporation Park opened over 160 years ago on Thursday 22nd 1857 this event brought upwoards of 50,000 people many of these came on the railways provided for the event. It was also marked by a half day holiday as at noon all work stopped. The Mayor led a procession made up of many differnt groups of Blackburns society from the town hall. When the procession arrived at the gates to the park the sebastapol canons fired a volly to celebrate the openning of the park. The Blackburn Standard reported, ‘The only draw back to the proceedings seemed to be the constant booming of the canons.’ The park was set up as the Mayor at the time William Pilkington Esquire stated, ‘ The arrangments presented every advantages and convenice for physical exercise and recreation’. This can still be applied to the park today as the park has developed as blackburn has also. It still attracts people to walk its paths and scenery, to enjoy the separate atmosphere from the comparable chaos of the town that surrounds it. Sadly over time the park has been let slip due to the lack of founding which is a common theme for community parks in the North West of England, which has let issues such as the Greenhouse become a problem for the park. With this in mind the reduced numbers of people using this park are not unusual. But the people of Blackburn have not let the park fall to desrepair as they have formed the Corporation Park Supporters Group that helps raise funds to help maintain and improve the park. This park is a still a place that is valued in its community for its receational purposes. This collection of images will help you view this place that still contains value to the people of Blackburn.
