Future Black Country

Young people from the Black Country watched the fun as a 32-foot high phoenix was set alight on top of the Barr Beacon as the campaign to bring £50m to the region for a regeneration project gained pace.

The message is in the fire

Flames were visible from miles around with the phoenix chosen to symbolise the rebirth of the Black Country.

The bid would include building a Green Bridge Park linking Sandwell and Walsall, including a bridge over the A41 in West Bromwich and visitor centre at Barr Beacon as well as opening up underground canals and mines beneath Dudley.

There would be improved access to canals in Wolverhampton with 20 green spaces across the Black Country rejuvenated.

Councillor Adrian Andrew

Impressive

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council cabinet member for regeneration, said he was bowled over at the spectacle.

“It was such an impressive sight to see," he said.

"This sends out the message right across the Black Country and beyond that we need your support to win this money.

“To see so many children’s faces light up in awe and wonder at this event is something I’ll never forget.

“However, this will be just a drop in the ocean compared to the millions of people who can enjoy the benefits of what will come if we are successful.”

New visitor centre

Children from five schools from Walsall and West Bromwich were taken to Barr Beacon where a new visitor centre will be built if the Black Country wins the TV vote to secure the money.

What if his dreams come true?

Fireworks also entertained the crowds before the message ‘Vote Black Country’ was lit up before the Phoenix was burnt.

The Black Country Urban Park bid is one of four across the country short-listed for the national television and website vote. Click the link above on the right to visit the voting website.

Online voting will close at 12 noon on 10 December 2007.

Telephone voting lines will open at 9am on Friday 7 December 2007.

More information: Black Country as an Urban Park shortlisted for TV vote

23 October 2007: Leaders of ‘A Million People: Black Country as an Urban Park’ are celebrating.

The ambitious regeneration project has been short-listed for a national television vote that could see it winning £50 million of Lottery funding.

A Big Lottery Fund scrutinising committee named the Black Country Urban Park project, on 23 October 2007, as one of four prestigious schemes that will battle it out for £50 million of funding.

A public TV and internet vote in December will decide whether the Urban Park project, Sherwood Forest, transport charity Sustrans, or the Eden Project will receive the money.

Sarah Middleton, chief executive of the Black Country Consortium that led the joint bid, said: “This is fantastic news. For Black Country ambitions to be placed alongside other exciting projects of potentially international importance is a clear recognition of the great progress the region is making.

“Our vision is for a ‘green’ Urban Park (UP) that will involve and be embraced by a million people in the Black Country. But our world heritage is also for others to visit, enjoy and celebrate and that makes it a project for the whole country.

“Now we ask people everywhere to ‘Stand UP for the Black Country’ and vote for the Urban Park in December.”