RELIEVED VILLAGERS in Delph are celebrating and praising the community’s Trojan efforts to refurbish and reopen a vital car park.
The village has been plagued with parking problems after the car park adjacent to Delph Methodist Church was closed due to its deterioration.
With the help of Parish Councillor Alan Roughley, local organisations campaigned to raise the £30,000 needed to fund the works and maintain the car park in the future.
The outgoing PCT and the Church put in a third of the projected total while Cllrs Roughley, Garth Harkness and Derek Heffernan devoted the remaining £4350 of their 2013-14 budgets.
The fund was boosted by a £10,000 grant from the Saddleworth and Lees District Partnership and a public appeal raised more than £6,000 through donations from groups, businesses, individuals and events.
Members of Delph Methodist, St Thomas’s and Delph Community Association delivered letters to more than a thousand homes and businesses to help promote the cause. This enabled the fund to reach its target, meaning the car park could be re-surfaced and new spaces marked out.
Margaret Taylor, Property Steward for Delph Methodist Church, said: “We have still to complete the legal steps that will secure the future but the car park has been made available for use in the meantime.
“We are so thankful for the support and help of our local councillors without whom the car park would most definitely still be shut. “We are also grateful for the involvement of Delph Community Association, the advice and expertise of local businessman John Gledhill and the enthusiasm of the local community.
“It is clear from the frequent ‘When will it be open again?’ queries that it is a much needed facility in the village. She added: “We shall be holding an official opening on Saturday, December 13 at 10am and we should be delighted for everyone who has played a part in the project to join us.
“We hope the opening will also provide an opportunity for people to look at the wonderful facilities available inside our building following extensive refurbishment over the last two years.”
James Skinner, the church’s minister, will ask Alan Roughley and John Gledhill to officially open the car park.
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