Work on the Lottery-funded face-lift for the city's favourite park is restoring some of its early splendour and giving it a new century, new lease of life.

The grand party to celebrate the park's 81st is on Sunday (July 14) between 2pm and 5pm with York MP Hugh Bayley cutting a special birthday cake at 3pm.

The community event has been jointly organised by the Friends of Rowntree Park and York Leisure Office and the fun is taking place on Butcher Terrace Field in the southern end of the park, offering a fantastic afternoon of entertainment for all ages.

There will be live music throughout, children's crafts, henna tattoos, charity stalls, a theatre performance by Stagecoach, juggling and lots more.

Refreshments and ice creams are available at the party as well as in the newly refurbished cafŽ in the park near the lake.

As the park's car park is currently closed as part of the park overhaul, the friends group has even arranged a novel way of getting to the party.

People travelling to the event by car are being asked to park in the Hospital Fields industrial estate site, off Fulford Road, where they can then walk across the Millennium Bridge to the park or enjoy a rickshaw taxi ride provided from Hospital Fields directly into the hub of the party.

There will also be an opportunity to take a guided tour of the park to look at the on-going refurbishment including a peek at the all-new play area with exciting equipment for all ages, which is due to be formally opened in August.

Alison Sinclair, chair of the Friends of Rowntree Park, said, "This is a wonderful idea to bring together the two sides of the river in a joint celebration of Rowntree Park.

"We hope that people arriving by car will take advantage of the rickshaw ferry service to add to their overall enjoyment of the celebrations and this will also mean that streets around the park will not become congested for the afternoon".

Visitors will see the recent progress that has been made in the park following the opening of the cafe last year and refurbishment of the toilets earlier this year.

As well work to the new play area, the foundations of the new footpath linking the Millennium Bridge to the park are visible as well as the location for the new maze. Construction will continue in the park until October with shrub and tree planting in November and December. The final planting and tidy up will take next spring once the risk of any floods has passed.

Councillor Alan Jones, the council's executive member for leisure and heritage, said, "I hope this birthday party is a great success with residents and visitors alike.

"All visitors will notice the improvements already done and improvements in the process of completion and by this time next year Rowntree Park will be able to celebrate an extra-special birthday."

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