Two sites in Dumfries have been named among the best public green spaces in the country.
The Dock Park and the Crichton have both been awarded Green Flag status this week.
The accolades for the popular riverside park and the 85-acre estate were announced by the environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful.
The status acknowledges quality green open spaces that help to boost the nation’s health and wellbeing.
The international Green Flag Award is administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful and acts as a benchmark for recreational outdoor space.
Councillor Archie Dryburgh, chairman of the communities committee, said: “We are thrilled that Dock Park has again been recognised by Keep Scotland Beautiful and are proud to hang the Green Flag on the Dock Park flag pole.”
And Gwilym Gibbons, chief executive of The Crichton Trust, added: “As custodians of the estate, we are very proud and honoured to fly the Green Flag on site. I would like to take this opportunity to thank colleagues for their dedication to The Crichton and for their part in achieving this award.
“It is also important that we acknowledge the vision and expertise of all those who created, respected and developed The Crichton in years gone by.
“Thanks to them, The Crichton has an established reputation as a place for healing and wellbeing to this day, and further highlighted by the pandemic, locals and visitors truly appreciate, value and benefit from our green spaces.
“While we have much to celebrate, we also recognise that to preserve the legacy of The Crichton for others to enjoy in the future, we still have much more to do. As a natural fit with our strategic aims, we are fully committed to using the Green Flag framework to help us connect people, place and the past to shape the future.”
Across the UK 2,208 parks have achieved the award this year, with a growing number of them in Scotland.
“Receiving this prestigious international benchmark recognises all the hard work that has gone into maintaining and managing these precious green open spaces.”
