How do you get from this
To this
Simple: vision, planning, determination, money and lots and lots of hard work
To be honest, Hirst Lock was something of an
embarrassment. People who came to enjoy the ancient
woodland that gives the area its name scarcely ever
ventured lockside and those who did, hurried on. There
was nothing to stop for.
But HWRG had an idea that this could become a facility
that both residents and visitors could enjoy. It could
become a place where people wanted to spend time.
Having set our minds on the goal - an attractive garden
with seats and an information board - we started to seek
out the cash and we were fortunate in getting enthusiastic
support from Northern Gas Networks, Bradford Council
Community Chest and and the Area Investment Fund.
We were then able to employ the
lads (and the dog) from Hudson’s
Landscape Services who did a
stunning job, not only doing all the
heavy, rock-moving, weed-
clearing work, but treating with
respect the archaeology of what
had gone before and finding a
way of incorporating it into the
scheme.
But, as any gardener will tell you,
clearing the site, laying the lawn
and planting the beds is just the
start. The secret of the Lock
Garden’s success has been the
work of volunteers in maintaining
it to a high standard so that it has
become one of the highlights of a
trip to the canal