Last month brought a close to the end of our summer public consultation events for the re-imagining of your beloved Homestead Park. You guys came out in force, inspiring us with your ideas, enthusiasm and long term vision for the future of the park.

We had a blast hosting you all, sharing a slice of pizza or two and finding out more about what makes Homestead Park special to the people who know it best.

We asked a simple question ‘What does your perfect park look like?’ and boy you didn’t hold back! From a splash zone to an internet hub, outdoor cinema to a sensory garden and even bringing back the old helter-skelter were among some of your ideas.

There was story telling, artist engagements, thrilling treasure hunts, activity mapping and some of you even got to be involved with some bush crafts thanks to our friends at Thrive Outside. There was also time for a little bit of history, including the story of the old Monkey House and Avery which stood central within the park and was home to a group of monkeys and exotic birds until 1942. In fact some say, a group of mischievous monkeys escaped spurring on a group of “explores in the making” to go on the hunt for the roaming ‘Homestead Monkeys.’ Sadly, this time we didn’t manage to catch any but be sure to keep your eyes peeled next time you visit. You never know where they may be hiding!

Now we can’t talk about the consultation events without mentioning the fantastic horticulture staff at Homestead who even set up a guided walk of the park. It was fantastic to hear about the immediate and long term goals for the gardens, including the regeneration of the waterfall and to learn a little more about the beautiful planting schemes throughout the breathtaking park.

As the summer comes to a close and we get ready to hunker down into our cosy clothes, the team at Social Vision along with our friends at PWP Design will be gathering all your ideas, going through the 100’s of surveys you all filled out and studying those energy maps.

We couldn’t have begun the re-imagining of Homestead Park without your input. At the heart, Homestead Park has and always will be a park for the local community of York and going forward this will stay at the forefront of all conversations and proposals for the park.

So what’s next? ….. Well, there is still time to have your say on the future of Homestead Park by filling out our online survey. As for the next steps be sure to keep checking back in as we will be updating you on the progress and the outcomes of all your vital feedback.

Your voice truly does matter, this is your park, your community and its for you to shout out and tell us what you want!

 -By Bethany Pouncey, Assistant Landscape Architect PWP Design