Shropshire Council is holding a public consultation to name their new park in Shrewsbury Town Centre where work is underway to clear wth Riverside complex on the Smithfield site.
They’re asking for suggestions from the community before the end of November 2024.
The park will be a space for everyone and will feature play equipment, gardens, seating, and a lawn area. The Council wants the name to reflect the unique character of Shrewsbury.
There are some rules for submissions:
- No duplicates of existing park names in the area.
No offensive or discriminatory names.
No numbers, special characters, or punctuation.
Easy to pronounce and spell.
No names with royal connotations.
No names of living people.
No names promoting companies or products (with a possible exception for historical references).
You can submit your suggestions via the Council’s website.
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To truly honour Shrewsbury’s rich history and cultural significance, a name that celebrates the town’s connection to William Shakespeare would be ideal.
The climax of Henry IV, Part 1 is set in the town, bringing to life the iconic Battle of Shrewsbury on stage. It’s even possible that Shakespeare himself performed in Shrewsbury during the Elizabethan era, further cementing the town’s place in literary history.
Beyond Henry IV, the wider county of Shropshire has links to other Shakespearean works, such as As You Like It and Richard III. Some scholars even speculate connections to Romeo and Juliet and the Sonnets.
A name that acknowledges this enduring legacy would not only commemorate the past but also inspire future generations.
