ParksHerts has been nominated for a national award

Updated: 21 September 2017

A new website that aims to help people make the most of the county’s parks and open spaces has been nominated for a national award. ParksHerts.co.uk has been selected as a finalist in the Greenspace Innovation category of APSEs* Innovation Awards 2017...

A new website that aims to help people make the most of the county’s parks and open spaces has been nominated for a national award.

ParksHerts.co.uk has been selected as a finalist in the Greenspace Innovation category of APSEs* Innovation Awards 2017.

ParksHerts contains information on Hertfordshire’s parks and open spaces to help residents make more of the county’s green spaces by providing information about walking, cycling and running routes; historical and wildlife guides; activity trails; local events; maps and more.

Hilary Shade, Head of Partnerships and Community Engagement at Hertsmere Borough Council, said: “We are delighted that ParksHerts, a new website that aims to help people get out and active in Hertfordshire, has been recognised for a national award.

“The development of the website has been a tremendous amount of hard work for all the officers involved – from mapping the parks to inputting information on over a hundred flagship parks and open spaces across the county.

“ParksHerts is so easy to use and a great website for local people. You can search for the perfect day out based on who is going, what they want to do and see, as well as the really important things like whether you can get a cup of tea! So, whether it’s to let the kids run about, walk the dog, relax in nature or to get fit - ParksHerts will help.

“It also includes useful information about park facilities and accessibility, so you know what to expect before you set off.”

ParksHerts was developed to provide consistent, accessible and good quality online information about the county’s parks and open spaces, as well as address the challenges of rising obesity levels and reduced physical activity within Hertfordshire.

Hilary, adds: “There is a strong evidential link between access to green space and the health and wellbeing of the local population. The minute you step in to a park you reap the benefits, natural surroundings help reduce stress and tension. In just three minutes heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension reduces. It also makes us feel happier, amps up our vitamin D intake, which is needed for healthy bodies, and can even help us age gracefully according to studies*.”

The website is compatible with mobile devices and tablets, so users can find out more about our parks whilst out and about. It can track users’ location, so people can find the nearest toilet, discover more about the history of the area or find a new route to explore on the move.

Visit the ParksHerts today - www.parksherts.co.uk  – and find your perfect park! You can also like us on Facebook: facebook/ParksHerts, or follow us on twitter: @ParksHerts and Instagram: ParksHerts.

The winners will be announced at the awards presentation on Thursday 19 October.