The Friends Of Coronation Gardens
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The Friends Of Coronation Gardens
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History
Coronation Gardens, situated in West Kirby, is a unique open space that lies between the Promenade and Banks Road. Originally created on sand dunes that were accessed via a gate from the prestigious Hydro Hotel. The Gardens became a formal public space with tearooms overlooking the Dee Estuary in the early 1930s. Few records are available from this time although it is known that the tearooms ,currently operating as the Sunset Lounge bar, were originally managed by a local lady. The Gardens were formally landscaped and gained their name in 1936 to mark the coronation of King George VI. Although the Hydro Hotel was demolished in the 1960s,the Gardens continued to be well maintained by the local authority. However, during the 1970s and early 80s the flowerbeds and planting were left to disintegrate to a poor state of decline. The circular path that had once been a central feature of the Gardens was grassed over to save on maintenance and the flowerbeds were allowed to become a tangle of weeds only to be later filled in. By the mid 1980s Coronation Gardens was no more than a large expanse of grass and had lost any of its formal identity. Litter and dog fouling became a constant problem for local residents and the focal recreational facility on West Kirby’s front became nothing more than a neglected eyesore. In 2002, determined to reinstate the Gardens to their former glory, a group of local residents decided to take action. Over one hundred questionnaires were distributed throughout the local community inviting people to give their opinion on how the Gardens should be brought ‘back to life’. With support from the Council it was decided to form the Friends of Coronation Gardens to raise awareness and funds to restore and regenerate the space. Below are pictures of the Gardens in times gone by!
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