Solihull Council and Veolia, the Council’s recycling and waste collections, street cleansing, and ground maintenance partner unveil 16 artistic shields on the historic park gates, with more designs set to transform the park in coming weeks.
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Veolia and Solihull Council have collaborated on an initiative to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Malvern Park, which Veolia looks after through ground maintenance works. 16 artistic shields have been unveiled on the park’s gates as part of an art installation that will extend throughout the park in coming weeks.
The shields have been designed by young people who the Council supports, who were invited to two workshops run by Veolia and the Love Solihull Parks team. The budding artists were asked to design original artwork to reflect their favourite thing about nature in an abstract and vibrant way.
100 designs selected by the Leader of Solihull Council were then transferred onto shields, with the first 16 now prominently displayed on Malvern Park's gates, with each shield representing a year of the park’s verdant history. In the coming weeks, visitors will see a further 84 shields installed creatively throughout the park, including in trees, flowerbeds, and on benches. The artwork will also be showcased in prominent locations including Touchwood shopping centre, the Core, and libraries throughout Solihull.
The creative engagement forms part of a year-long campaign to celebrate the centenary park, which will align with national initiatives such as Love Parks Week and awareness days including World Environment Day and Biodiversity Day.
Sue Cummine, Senior Contract Manager at Veolia Solihull, said: “Engaging the borough’s young people and celebrating the importance of the parks we maintain in a creative way has been a fantastic way to spread the message of environmental awareness to the next generation. Our ground maintenance teams work hard to keep Malvern Park looking its best and we’re proud to contribute to the park’s longevity, hoping it will be enjoyed by residents for at least another 100 years.”
Cllr Karen Grinsell, Leader of Solihull Council, said: “Parks and open spaces are vital to our physical and mental health, and we are fortunate to have a number of flourishing, green spaces here in Solihull. Malvern Park is a great example of that. I would like to thank these talented youngsters for their creative designs which will be a terrific addition for the park’s centenary year. I know residents and young children will enjoy spotting them!”