Civic Pride: Creating a sense of belonging in Peterborough

Our city is a place to which may people have come, particularly over the past hundred years. However newcomers to our city, as well as visitors, are not always aware of the history and significance of some of our places and open spaces. Civic pride is something that depends on us all contributing, feeling valued and feeling a part of something a little larger than our own immediate personal surroundings.

Peterborians are lucky to possess a wide variety of open spaces, whether that be purpose-built Ferry Meadows, or more urban settings such as Central Park, Itter Park, Manor Farm Park, Bretton Park, Connect Park, Stanley Park or indeed the Embankment.

There are also a number of wildlife areas – nine are listed on the City Council’s website – and we mustn’t forget the Green Wheel that encircles Peterborough and is a fine example of trying to connect places for cyclists and walkers.

Many of these are vital for city dwellers to use and were a vital resource particularly during the recent lockdown.

In addition, there is a wealth of fascinating and varied landscapes close to the city, from the open wide-skied Fen fields to the east to the historic, pretty Northamptonshire villages to the west. And of course we mustn’t forget our oft-undervalued river Nene that quietly weaves its way from Arbury Hill to the Wash.

But what do local people actually know about many of these places, when were they created, what have they been used for, who were they named after?

Recently Hazel Perry, one of our committee members, came up with the idea of producing and manufacturing interpretation boards (or something similar) to place in specific locations to inform people and to highlight the spaces’ significance. In particular she mentioned Stanley Park which has recently received attention and is looking far better than it has done in recent years. However, there is still much work to be done.

We still believe that this area, along with many others in the city, could be planted more sensitively, taking into account both biodiversity and the need for individual’s mental health to be cared for and even boosted.

Consequently the Civic Society has begun to think of how best to enhance areas such as Stanley Park. As well as interpretation boards, could there be murals, ceramic features and information posts that link to information on the Internet – we must be aware of both new and as-yet-not- invented technology! Of course we must present any suggestions to Peterborough City Council and we are currently considering the best ways to do this.

We know that many interpretation boards and other such features already exist, not only in Stanley Park but in other locations. For example there’s a board on Bourges Boulevard near the pedestrian Paten bridge that links the station area to Queensgate; there’s information in lower Bridge Street that informs us about Henry Penn, the bell founder. I can think of interpretation boards at nearly all of the locations mentioned above and there must be dozens of examples all over the city.

Readers may well have their own suggestions about places and areas of the city that would benefit from enhancement in this way. Please get in touch and let us know your views, either by writing to the PT letters page or by contacting me directly at [email protected].

•On Monday 13 February the Civic Society’s monthly talk is ‘Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages through the Women Written Out of It’ with Dr Janina Ramirez, the well-known art and cultural historian and TV presenter. This talk is being given at the new ARU Peterborough (Anglia Ruskin University) and is now sold out. It is our intention that a prestigious event, in conjunction with our new university, should be organised on an annual basis so watch this space for 2024!