Following a period of closure, St John’s Gardens in the heart of the city centre has been given a fresh lease of life.
Today (12th November 2018), FOR Cardiff, the city’s business improvement district, has re-opened St Johns Gardens after being permanently closed in May.
At 11am today, FOR Cardiff Ambassadors re-opened the gates so the public could once again enjoy the space. The gardens, located opposite the entrance to Cardiff Market, were closed by Cardiff Council in May due to concerns over anti-social behavior in the gardens.
During the revamp period, FOR Cardiff have worked with Cardiff Council and the Probation Service to clear overgrown plants, improve light visibility, refurbish benches and paint railings so the gardens could be restored to their former glory. Opening the gardens again will allow the public to enjoy them during lunch breaks or to sit down with a coffee in a green space, in the heart of the city.
Interestingly, during the cleanup several war graves were uncovered amongst the overgrown shrubs and FOR Cardiff are now working with the War Graves Commission to find out about their background, in the hope that information can be displayed to inform visitors of their history.
Cardiff Council will be maintaining the gardens while FOR Cardiff will be coordinating a seasonal program of entertainment in the space and will be responsible for opening and closing the gates daily.
Adrian Field, Executive Director of FOR Cardiff said: “Our responsibility at FOR Cardiff is to make sure the city centre is a welcoming and safe environment that can be enjoyed by everyone. Protecting and maintaining the very few green spaces we have in the area is very important and it was a shame that, six months ago, the gardens were closed by Cardiff Council due to persistent anti-social behavior.
“However, FOR Cardiff wanted to create an outdoor area where events can take place. I’m proud of the transformation of St Johns Gardens which will allow the public to enjoy the beautiful gardens once again.”