November 04, 2026 - 275 views
People in Colwyn Bay are being invited to have their say on the future of Queens Gardens as Conwy County Borough Council looks at ways to improve the historic town centre park.
The council wants to understand how people currently use the gardens, what they value about the space and what changes they would like to see. Their feedback will help shape a masterplan for the gardens, balancing improvements for visitors with the need to protect and encourage wildlife.
The consultation is part of a wider project to demonstrate how traditional Victorian parks can be adapted to meet modern challenges, including climate change and declining biodiversity, without losing their historic character.
Queens Gardens has been an important public space in Colwyn Bay for almost a century. The land originally formed part of the grounds of Rydal School before being gifted to Colwyn Bay Urban District Council in 1929, with the condition that it should remain a public park.
Today, the gardens provide a green and peaceful space in the town centre, with ornamental flowerbeds, mature trees, shrubs, seating and paths. They are also home to Colwyn Bay's war memorial, unveiled on Armistice Day in 1922, giving the gardens an important role as a place of remembrance as well as recreation.
The project is being developed through the Welsh Government's Local Places for Nature programme, which was established following the declarations of a climate emergency in 2019 and a nature emergency in 2021.
The aim is to make the gardens more attractive, inclusive and sustainable, while creating better habitats for wildlife, increasing biodiversity and helping the space cope with the effects of climate change.
In practical terms, the council wants to find out what people want to keep, what could be improved and how the gardens can be cared for in the longer term. The consultation is an opportunity for residents to influence the overall design and future management of the site.
People can speak to the project team at Queens Gardens between 9.30am and 1pm on Friday, November 6, or at Colwyn Bay Library in Woodland Road West between 2pm and 4.30pm that afternoon.
A further drop-in session will take place at Bay View Shopping Centre in Sea View Road between 9.30am and 1pm on Saturday, November 7.
The consultation runs until December 2. Feedback will be used to develop improvement proposals, which will then be made public for further consultation before a final masterplan is agreed.
The council hopes the project will help ensure Queens Gardens continues to be a valued part of Colwyn Bay while playing a greater role in supporting nature and responding to a changing climate.
