Political opinion with Beccy Cooper MP: Celebrating Montague Gardens

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to SussexWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. It was fantastic to see the whole town coming together on a wonderful sunny afternoon to celebrate the grand opening of the newly transformed Montague Gardens. The atmosphere was wonderful, the Gardens buzzing with people enjoying the new planting, seating and live performances. It was a real taste of what this exciting new space will bring to the town centre. After over 3 years of planning, construction began on the £3.1 million project just over a year ago, using funding largely provided by developers through the Community Infrastructure Levy. As the former Leader of Worthing Borough Council who helped kickstart the project, I know the many potential pitfalls of large-scale public developments. But I'm very proud to say that in terms of both budget and schedule, the transformation of Montague Place from the days of the notorious squiggly lines into this green, welcoming, family space has been a complete success – and the Labour-led Council deserves full credit for that. There was plenty going on throughout the afternoon, with children enjoying free ice creams and face-painting, all while being entertained by the brilliant Spring into Soul Choir, Drumheads Samba Band, AudioActive and Davison Worthing Youth Concert Band. It was great to see the new performance area already showcasing our amazing local talent and long may that continue. There are a number of features included in the design suggested by the community during the extensive consultation process. The seaside-themed play space includes tactile equipment designed to encourage imaginative play, while raising awareness of the important work being done to restore kelp forests off our coast. And the fabulous 3-D 'Worthing' sign, designed by the brilliant artist Molly Hawkins, will be a magnet for residents and visitors alike, looking for that all-important selfie. Inspired by the seaside gardens that once surrounded Montague Place when it was first built in the early 19th century, Montague Gardens is about much more than just making the area look attractive. Along with the improved paving, seating and outdoor dining space, the design includes 30 new trees, sustainable planting and a green living wall. As I said here last week, given the rising impacts of climate change it is vital that our urban environments provide the green, sheltered spaces necessary for our wellbeing and I hope this will be just the start of a green transformation of our town centre over the coming years. With its trees, planting, play area, performances and new places to sit and relax, Montague Gardens is already bringing fresh energy to our town centre. It is a wonderful new space for residents, families and visitors to meet and play, boosting local business and bringing a fresh, vibrant focal point to our fantastic seaside town. I hope to see you there soon! As always, you can contact me at [email protected]