fter the very best a part of a decade within the planning, a campaigner’s proposals for a brand new memorial park in honour of Queen Elizabeth II have been revealed.
First conceived by journalist and Amnesty Worldwide employee Stefan Simanowitz as a strategy to mark Her Majesty’s ninetieth birthday, the plans contain turning a strip of Buckingham Palace Gardens — that are some 39 acres — right into a public backyard. The proposals retain the backyard’s wall, however contain knocking arches by means of it so the general public can entry the world; a brand new fence would then be constructed to make sure the privateness and security of the Palace grounds.
The park can be left in its pure state for the backyard, with woodland, wild flowers and a butterfly meadow, however a brand new statue of the Queen can be erected.
“We had hoped this a part of the Palace Gardens can be bequeathed to the nation by the Queen herself, however now — to mark her passing — the proposal is now to create a brand new Royal Park as a dwelling legacy to our longest-serving Monarch,” mentioned Simanowitz, founding father of the Buckingham Palace Park Undertaking. Regardless of the identify, the venture is completely impartial of the Palace itself.
“As this era of official nationwide mourning involves an finish, our ideas flip to how we are going to mark Her Majesty’s reminiscence, we’re hopeful that this venture may act as each a becoming tribute to the Queen and as properly a welcome new inexperienced area in a congested nook of London,” Simanowitz added.
The preliminary plans had been politely rebuffed by King Charles — then the Prince of Wales — whose assistant non-public secretary Michael Whitehead wrote to Simanowitz in 2016: “Your causes for writing as you probably did are very a lot appreciated and The Prince was to be taught of your thought… Thanks as soon as once more, for writing to His Majesty who has requested me to move you his best needs.”
Now, although, Simanowitz says he’s extra hopeful, having attracted assist from the chair of London’s Setting Committee Zack Polanski, who can also be the deputy chief of the Inexperienced Celebration.
As such, Simanowitz shall be formally asserting the plans at 1pm by Marble Arch tomorrow, September 29.
For extra data, go to queenelizabethmemorialgardens.co.uk
