A campaign has been set up to retain and improve an essential town centre park that has been serving the community since Victorian times.

Cardigan’s Netpool Riverside Park was created as a green space for the people of Cardigan in 1890 after the shipyards were finally closed.

In the late Victorian era it was described as: ‘an open space delightfully situated above the river, and with a fine view down to St Dogmaels. Abundantly supplied with seats, and ornamentally planted, forming a favourite pleasure ground…’

And on Boxing Day 1895 Netpool Park even hosted a rugby match between Cardigan and played Llanelli RFC ( the Scarlets).

(Image: Friends of Netpool Park.)

Despite this promising start, by 1946 after several years of neglect the park was described as ‘an eyesore’ and a fresh round of restoration took place, with the park reopening in May 1953.

In May 1954 vandals uprooted trees and ransacked the gardens and nine years later the site was so run down that it was suggested for the building of luxury flats. People from Cardigan strongly objected to this, and the park continued to survive.

New gazebos were erected in 1994 and the Gorsedd Stones were moved to the park in 1996. The park also hosted the town’s Medieval Day festival and Cardigan Music Live festival.

In 1974 permission was given to Welsh Water to use the footpath through the path and the Public Right of Way (now part of the Ceredigion Coastal Path) as an access road to the new sewage works.

(Image: Friends of Netpool Park)

In light of the imminent £20 million upgrade to the works Cardigan residents and the town council are asking Welsh Water to consider an alternative route for the site traffic of up to 30 lorry trips and 60 car trips daily.

“Our fear is that after two years of being a conduit for building site traffic the park will be so neglected that once again it could be put up for sale,” said campaigner Rose Barter.

Rose said that it seems that the recent decline of the park has virtually rendered it invisible to those designing the new works and access.

In order to remedy this, Friends of Netpool Park has been formed to improve the park and bring about its wider use and enjoyment.

“Cardigan has already lost its Swimming Pool and this beautiful and historic space could follow suit,” said Rose.

The group is seeking funding to regenerate the park and restore this beautiful riverside green space for the people of Cardigan.

(Image: Friends of Netpool Park)

This will involve increasing biodiversity, improving children’s play facilities, connecting the park to its very important history and creating an accessible picnic area in the park, which has free parking and excellent access for wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

Since its formation the friends have managed to get the park mowed in order to make it friendly for children to play and to get the council’s Highways department to agree to erecting a warning sign alerting vehicle drivers of children at play.

The friend’s next initiative, alongside Teifi Community Group, will be an October bulb planting fest to create a bluebell glade, plant daffodils round each of the Gorsedd stones and trim hedgerows to allow park users to see the stunning river views which are currently completely obscured.

(Image: Friends of Netpool Park)

If you’d like to get involved, you can join or follow the Friends of Netpool Park on Facebook or email Rose on rosebarter@btinternet.com.