Willow Bridge now open!

We’re thrilled to announce that our stunning new bridge is now open to the public, thanks to National Lottery players through The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

The new bridge, named Willow Bridge, after a public vote over the summer, has replaced the old Pontoon Bridge that sat in the same location in Ferry Meadows for 35 years. Designed by C B Arts, sculptural metalworkers in Cumbria, the new bridge is made from Corten weathering steel to be both robust and resilient. The railings evolve into beautiful gateways of tree sculptures at either end of the bridge, blending well into its natural Park setting and creating a new stunning landmark for the Park.

Willow Bridge is a key element of the 5-year project, Your Community Greenspace, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. In keeping with the community nature of the project, the bridge was officially opened on 31 October 2023 at noon by a number of community leaders from across the city, along with the support of Nene Park Trust staff. 

Andrew MacDermott, Nene Park Trust Acting Chief Executive, said “Willow Bridge will take pride of place at a central location within Ferry Meadows for decades to come. We are very grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, C B Arts, and all our contractors and partners for their help developing and constructing such an eye-catching structure”.

Robyn Llewellyn, Director, England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Huge congratulations to Nene Park Trust for their fantastic work on opening Willow Bridge to the public as part of the Your Community Greenspace project. Thanks to National Lottery players, we are able to support projects such as this, which serve as bridges between people and the natural world, supporting the preservation of landscapes for generations to come.”