The new Jubilee Gates are in position at the Ryleys Lane entrance to Alderley Park. However, the Parish Council still has to wait a while for the project to be completed due to the nature of the materials used.
In March 2022, the Parish Council approved a budget of £10,000 for their Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which included a spend of around £3,500 to hire a large screen for the park and the same amount for a local blacksmith to produce commemorative wrought iron gates for the entrance to the park.
The gates are galvanised for long term protection and to make them virtually maintenance free but, in order for them to be finished in the style the Parish Council wants, they still need to be painted in specially formulated paint which requires temperatures consistently above 10 degrees for a few days during and after the paint is applied.
Cllr Mike Dudley Jones said "Once we can see a period of increasing warmth the project will be completed. In any event, we hope this will be before the King's coronation!"
When viewed from the car park, the left hand gate is the larger and will be closed most of the time and bolted into the tarmac. The right hand gate will be permanently open to allow pedestrian visitors to the park. Should the park need to be secured for any reason the two gates can be locked and bolted together.
A three metre section of wrought iron fencing has been installed to the left of the gates and a longer seven metre section is now in place to the right of the gates to prevent the park from being easily accessed by vehicles illegally. The fencing has been painted in the same colour as the gates will be painted.
Cllr Mike Dudley Jones added "Lastly, the left hand gate will carry Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee plaque with the Alderley Edge Parish Coat of Arms placed in the centre."
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I was at AECP School in the mid sixties and recall sports days on the schools own field. However, as young children, the highlight of our year used to be the Rose Queen Festival which was held on The Park.
Its good to see the improvements taking place - I'm sure the new gates (once completed) will be a fitting and timely tribute and I look forward to having a go on the outdoor gym equipment once its installed.