The year ending 31st December, has been a successful year for Birmingham Parks and the parks gardeners of the city: 13 awards for restoration, innovative design, safety and ground maintenance, and horticultural stuff.

The Places and Genius Landscape Design Award for Excellence was the most recent recognition awarded to the Landscape Practice Group of Birmingham City Council for the restoration of Handsworth Park, and was presented at the Birmingham Design Initiative, Industry and Genius Awards ceremony.

"The project has transformed the local community and resulted in a huge increase in use. Major investment in the park has led to a safe environment and has helped reduce crime levels", commented the judges.

Also, the £9.5 million restoration programme of Handsworth Park has been recognised with the Renaissance Award-the award is given on each year to an impressive conservation or restoration scheme by Birmingham Civic Society.

The park, along with 4 other Birmingham parks (The Lickey Hills Country Park, Cannon Hill Park and Centre Park, Kings Heath Park, Castle Vale), was also awarded with the Civic Trust's Green Flag award for 2007.

Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture, Councillor Ray Hassall, said, "This has been a wonderful year for Birmingham Parks. The awards demonstrate the council's commitment to making our parks safe and clean, and celebrate the skills of the parks gardeners and designers. Earlier this year we appointed fourteen extra park keepers to help make visiting parks a more enjoyable experience".