A NEW pedestrian footbridge connecting parts of Chelmsford’s Central Park has been unveiled.

Mayor of Chelmsford, councillor Bob Massey and cabinet member for Safer Chelmsford Jude Deakin officially opened the bridge connecting Sky Blue Pasture and Bell Meadow in Central Park.

Additionally, a brand-new toddler play area has been installed on the Sky Blue Pasture side of the bridge, for children to enjoy for many years to come.

The construction works began in early March and are part of the continued improvement works to Central Park’s Bell Meadow gardens, which started in early 2018.

Bell Meadow is a popular area of Central Park, close to the lively city centre and shopping centres. The footbridge allows more people easier access to Sky Blue Pasture and to discover the much more tranquil areas of Central Park, away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

The footbridge is beautifully decorated with laser cut steel art works, designed by Mrs Anuradha Patel, a former resident of Chelmsford. New trees, shrubs and flowers have also been planted in the immediate vicinity to the bridge, creating a beautiful landscape.

Councillor Jude Deakin, Cabinet Member for Safer Chelmsford says: “This is a wonderful addition to Central Park, right at the heart of the city centre. Our aim is to design and improve our beautiful parks so that more residents can use and enjoy them. The new bridge and toddler play area do just that. I’m looking forward to seeing the new planting flourish into the summer, making our city even greener.

“This new bridge and landscaping also recaptures history, as this was the site of a pedestrian river crossing as far back as 1895. The bridge was then lost when the flood alleviation works took place in Chelmsford in the 1960s, so it is great to see the footbridge back in Central Park.”

For more information about Chelmsford City’s Parks, please visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/parks.