As part of developing a Round 2 Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid for Runcorn Hill and Heath Park, Halton Council needed to develop an Activity Plan for the park. This would examine how the Council engaged with current and potential visitors to the park and demonstrate how it planned to improve its level of engagement and participation.

Pathways began by pulling together all existing data and identifying where new information was needed. Three key areas were highlighted – the need for more qualitative information about how people used the park at the moment and what they thought of it; a more vibrant communication of the park’s potential and heritage ‘offer’ and finally more robust data about the patterns of use of the park currently. Pathways interviewed 120 people locally in a qualitative survey – gaining real insight into their perceptions of the park. Secondly we worked closely with the eight community groups who formed part of the Park Development Group – to help communicate the work in the park and its potential in the future. Finally we undertook ‘dawn to dusk’ days, mapping where people used the park and what activities they were doing. This data, along with additional research work formed a crucial part of the baseline data submitted to the Lottery.

runcorn scrap book pic

A compelling and visually exciting, 48 page Activity Plan was completed in June 2012 and included 19 worked up and costed project ideas for getting more people engaged. The HLF bid was successful and work is underway!