Alan Titchmarsh

"I am delighted to support the new park at the heart of Bradford. Every city needs green spaces to ensure the survival of its residents - they really are that important and I lend my support wholeheartedly"

Cllr Cole, Bradford Play Partnership

"The Park at the Heart proposals will bring a much needed recreational public space to the centre of Bradford where people of all generations will be able to meet, relax or play together. The key professionals in the Play Partnership, Councillor John Coles, the Play Champion, and the Play Team at Early Years and Childcare Service welcome the opportunity to contribute their expertise to the Park at the Heart development, and sincerely hope the bid will be successful."

Timothy Kirkhope MEP

"I have always believed that a water feature of significance would add much focus to the centre of Bradford, conveying a message of community harmony and tranquillity and enhancing Bradford's status as a leading European city."

Peter Miller – Director, Westfield

“Westfield wholeheartedly supports Bradford Centre Regeneration’s lottery bid for ‘Park at the Heart’.

Westfield is investing heavily in the city because we believe that Bradford has huge potential – as a place to live and as a retail and tourist destination. The city’s desire to regenerate itself is clear and deserves support.

The plans for ‘Park at the Heart’ are exciting and well considered. Westfield are confident that an investment by the Big Lottery Fund will produce a high quality development, which will transform the city centre and bring lasting benefit to its residents.”

Joseph Gourvenec - Sales Manager, Hilton Bradford

“The Hilton Bradford hotel welcomes the city park bringing a fantastic opportunity for children and adults to enjoy the outdoors and beautiful scenery in the heart of a city centre. Visiting families and business clients will experience the warmth of Bradford and I am personally looking forward to taking my child and letting her enjoy the new surroundings of Bradford city centre. This will be a wonderful experience for all to have and all at the Hilton Bradford look forward to the developments in the near future.”

Andrew Mason - Managing Director, Newmason Properties

“As a major investor in Bradford and a stakeholder in the city's future, Newmason Properties welcomes the proposal with great excitement. To put a centrepiece of beauty in a position where it is accessible to both visitors and residents alike is a masterstroke in bringing life to the city centre.”

Colin Philpott – Director, National Media Museum

“The National Media Museum is hugely supportive of the plans for the Park at the Heart. We are excited by the transformation of the city centre which the project will deliver. It’s great to see that Bradford’s on the move with a whole range of plans, including the Museum’s recently announced name change and future vision, starting to come to fruition.”

John Howarth – Chair, Older Peoples Partnership

“I would like to acknowledge the work you have into “Park at the Heart” and particularly the consultation work with many groups.
Your presentation to the Bradford’s “Older People’s Focus Group” has been particularly valuable to us, and your engagement with many people on the real issues that interest them about the development of Bradford’s city centre has been positive and fruitful.

We know how important this project is for Bradford, and the lottery bid process in particular.

We fully support you in this process, and wish you success in your bid. If there is anything further we can do to support you in this, please let us know.”

Richard Wightman, President, & Sandy Needham, Chief Executive of Bradford Chamber of Commerce & Industry

"Bradford Chamber fully supports the ambitious plans to galvanise Bradford's city centre with new life, facilities, shops and other businesses. We agree with the proposal that the new City Park lies at the centre of plans for a revitalised city. While so much work is being done elsewhere in the city (and beyond) to regenerate Bradford, this concept underpins and cements much of the rest of the Masterplan. This key area of the city will retain its important status through the creation of high-quality public realm that can be fully utilised by Bradford's people, as well as visited by tourists and shoppers alike. Earlier concerns over the potential problems of the lake/mirror pool appear to have been addressed - i.e. maintenance costs, security and health and safety - and we feel that the ideas contained within the plans encapsulate a realistic vision for the future of Bradford's city centre, while maintaining a thematic trajectory linking Bradford's historical connections with water through to the present."

Catherine Robinson, Magellan Properties & Bradford Channel

"The plans for a new City Park are fantastic. I would be delighted to show my support for such a worthy project. The provision of such a wonderful new facility will not only be a centrepiece for the local community to enjoy, but also an attraction to new businesses and visitors to the area, which will undoubtedly help to boost the local economy."

Michael Ziff – Stylo

In my capacity as Chair of both Stylo Plc a Bradford Based Company and Bradford Regeneration, I would respond to you as follows: With regard to a photo call I would be happy to work with you and also with regard to a quote demonstrating my support for the scheme. I would say to you that the work at the heart of Bradford is going to make a big difference both to the community and to the civic and commercial life of the city. There are many people who are both passionate and committed to seeing Bradford regenerated and be the success it once was. The investment in the mirror pool will certainly go a long way towards achieving this.

lain Cornish, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Building Society said:

"I have watched with growing excitement as the plans for Bradford City centre have developed, we have a great opportunity to build on the enthusiasm already shown for Will Alsop's plan and to create a vibrant and dynamic centrepiece of which the City can be truly proud."

T H Ratcliffe - Gordons LLP

We at Gordons, which is Bradford's largest firm of solicitors, city centre based and employing 110 people in our Bradford offices, want to show our support for Bradford Council's bid to create a Park at the Heart of the City. Representatives of our firm have already attended consultations, seen the plans, been given an opportunity to comment and seen our comments taken into account in the final plans submitted to the Big Lottery Fund.  We are looking forward to sunny summer days, relaxing in the shade of the trees and crisp winter weekends skating on the ice of the proposed rink.

Trevor Lewis- Deputy Chairman BCR

I am delighted to confirm my support for the 'park at the heart' of Bradford and for the mirror pool.
This is central to our objectives to regenerate our city, and I will continue to do everything that I can to make it happen

Timothy West – Royal Shakespeare Theatre

“I wholeheartedly support the proposal to create a “park at the heart” of Bradford.  This will give attractive, much needed (and long desired) focal point to the great city.  I hope very much this can be achieved”.

Tom Riordan – Yorkshire Forward

"The successful regeneration of Bradford is one of Yorkshire Forward's highest priorities. The development of the City Park and Mirror Pool is seen as an important step in delivering the vision set out in the Masterplan for the regeneration of Bradford City Centre and it has the full support of Yorkshire Forward. This project will provide the city with a facility which its citizens should be proud of, whilst at the same time improving the perception of the city to the outside world. This in turn should lead to increased development activity in the city resulting in a much improved economy."

Terry Hodgkinson – Yorkshire Forward

"Bradford has the potential to be one of the region's most important centres of economic growth. The creation of a new City Park with a stunning mirror pool at its centre is crucial to the economic renaissance of the city and to reigniting civic pride in the city. Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency, is totally committed
to working with Bradford Metropolitan District Council to speed up Bradford's rebirth to fulfil its potential as a great place for the community and businesses."

Linda McAvan MEP.

"Bradford is my home town. It’s where I was born, brought up and where most of my family still live. It is great to see these plans to bring such long, overdue investment to the City centre. A public space for all with the historic Town Hall in the background -what a great idea! A park at the heart of the city centre is truly innovative and will put Bradford on the European map of new kinds of urban living and design."

Tony Wilkinson, Station Director of The Pulse & Pulse Classic Gold:

Here at The Pulse we're proud to support "Park at the Heart". We believe it'll provide a vibrant, beating centre for the city - which will flow out from this point, being pumped right through the Bradford district.
Like ourselves, we think "Park at the Heart" will be "The Pulse of West Yorkshire"!

Usha Parmar – Sunrise Radio

I was very pleased to receive your letter dated 9th February 2007 asking for my thoughts on the proposed City Park Bid.
I have to say that I agree with the consensus so far in that the original plan as designed by Wil Alsop was beautiful in its creation but was sadly lacking in that it negated a large part of the city centre. This city needs its heart to be a space attractive in its outlook but practical as well. This new plan should be well received by all as it beautifies the city centre with a delightful water feature but also provide a key space for a variety of activities for all Bradfordians. I love the idea of a changing water feature rather than a static pool and based on last year's light show at the City Hall for water/light displays the possibilities are endless. I have experienced the fun of the Beach party in the city centre to name just one activity, so I know that the proposed use of the space will mean a real chance to put on community activities which should breathe life into the city even when the said activities have finished, for the knock on effect for business should not be underestimated.
As Chief Executive of Sunrise Radio (Yorkshire), the award winning Asian Commercial station which has been serving the local Asian Community for the past seventeen years I readily give my support to the proposed City Park Bid and wish you well in the Big Lottery Fund Bid.
Yours Sincerely
Usha Parmar
Chief Executive – Sunrise Radio

Harold Robinson - Magellen

In response to your recent letter of the 9th February, I should like to confirm my support for the City's bid for Lottery Fund money to assist in the creation of the 'mirror pool' to be a centrepiece to reflect and showcase Bradford's magnificent City Hall.
This unique shallow water pool designed to be of multi-purpose use will become a major addition to the long awaited regeneration of the City and I commend your efforts in promoting this unique feature for the City Centre.