Win a Westcountry Food Hamper

Wondering what's in the hamper...?

It isn't this one. This is the
'Gorgeous Night In' hamper,
£50 from Hotel Chocolat

Tell a ranger what you like about Tiverton's Grand Western Canal, and what could be improved, and you'll be entered into the prize draw for a delicious hamper from the Bon Gout deli in Exeter.

The popular canal, which recently received the Green Flag Award for the second year running, is managed by Devon County Council as a Country Park and Local Nature Reserve. It is among a record 1200 green spaces in England and Wales to receive the honour from the Civic Trust, which recognises it among the best green spaces in the country.

The awards are judged against eight criteria: a welcoming place; healthy, safe and secure; clean and well maintained; sustainability; conservation and heritage; community involvement; marketing; and management.

The Grand Western Canal stood out after impressing the judges with its excellent use of green space, well maintained facilities and high standard of safety and security.

The judges feedback included comments about the Country Park's attractive facilities and the fact it is well-loved and well-used by the local community.

Devon County Council hopes their survey will build up a better picture of visitor patterns to the Canal, such as where people come from, when they visit, how long they spend at the canal and what they enjoy doing while they're there, so they can use this information to help shape the future of the Canal and Country Park.

Devon County Councillor Roger Croad, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Environmental Services, said:

"The Canal is a wonderful, well managed facility for local residents and visitors from further a field to enjoy and its high standards have been recognised by the success in gaining the Green Flag Award.

"It is crucial that people feel their voices are being heard, and that we are considering the opinions of locals and visitors when making decisions about this valuable resource...

"I would encourage everybody who visits the Canal, or lives nearby to take this opportunity to have their say."

"We do not always know what the visitors to the Grand Western Canal and Country Park like or do not like, so having a survey is one way of finding out.

"It is essential that we provide what the users want, and explore how their Canal can be developed further. We are very lucky to have such a facility, we just want to make it better."

Rangers will be talking to visitors and collecting their views at a variety of locations along the Canal’s towpath during the summer. Copies of the survey are also available at the Canal Basin Visitor Centre, Abbotshood Cycle Hire in Halberton and Minnows Touring Park in Sampford Peverell, and can be returned using a freepost address. The questionnaire can also be completed online at www.devon.gov.uk/countryparksurvey.

The survey page on Devon County Council’s website also offers the opportunity to leave feedback on two other Country Park’s – Stover Country Park, near Newton Abbot and the Tarka Trail in North Devon.

The Council are also keen to hear the views of people who have not visited these Parks to discover if changes need to be made to make them more appealing to residents and tourists. These questionnaires can be found by visiting www.dove.gov.uk/notvisited.

For more information please contact the Grand Western Canal Ranger Service on 01884 254072