By Harry Mottram: In February, it was 100 years since the Bath Corporation bought agricultural land that now makes up Bloomfield Green and the Bloomfield Allotments for public use.
It was marked with the planting of a Cedar of Lebanon, tree – chosen by local residents as the Centenary Tree. Children planted snowdrops to brighten the area around it and in the wild garden. The Mayor of Bath attended the celebration.
Bloomfield Green was used for allotments during WWII, and only just survived two controversial plans in the years after the War. The Abercrombie Plan in the late 1940s and the Buchanan Plan of the 1960s that would have either turned the Green into a school and community centre, or driven a road through it to link Wellsway with the Lower Bristol Road.
Over the last thirty years, the Green developed into Bloomfield Open Space, and the Bloomfield Green in 2015. The Green now benefits from many mature trees and play equipment supplied by B&NES.
The Friends are working with B&NES Tree Officers to plant new trees, to replace those that are coming to the end of their lives, with trees chosen for their environmental benefits and their tolerance of climate changes expected in future years.
The Friends of Bloomfield Green was set up in 2014. The Green has won Green Flag Awards every year since 2016, and the Friends achieved the second highest level in the RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood competition in 2022.
In June 2016, the Friends staged the first Gathering on the Green, a Sunday afternoon village fete style family day. This year’s will be on Sunday 11 June. The Friends have just produced a timeline style history of the Green.
Pictured is The Mayor of Bath Cllr Rob Appleyard helping in the planting. More on this on page 5.
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