Presentation about the Community and private sector work of the English Riviera Global Geopark by Nick Powe (chairman) and Melanie Border (English Riviera Geopark Coordinator) to Chinese Geopark Roundtable Conference in Hong Kong in October 2012

1. Geopark Roundtable Conference
Hong Kong
October 2012

2. Nick Powe
Chairman of the English Riviera Geopark
Owner of Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves
EGN Coordination Committee member
Melanie Border
English Riviera Geopark Coordinator
Chair of the UK Geoparks Forum
EGN Coordination Committee member

4. World’s first urban Geopark – Sept 2007
Brixham Paignton Torquay
• 62 km2 of land & 42 km2 of sea
• 137,000 people
• 1.5 million staying visitors and 2 million day trippers

5. •Devonian
•Permian
•Quaternary

8. Urban cave

9. Geopark benefits for Kents Cavern
• Aligning a privately operated attraction
with regional cultural heritage
• Brings new audiences to visit the caves
• Working in partnership with regional
and national agencies
• Commercial focus on conservation and
sustainability
• Part of an international network of
outstanding geological sites

10. 41,000 year old Kents Cavern Jawbone
• Research published in Nature
• Oldest human bone in NW Europe

11. Reasons for creating Geopark
• Common purpose to focus economic
and social regeneration strategies
• Way finding – moving people around
the resort
• Creating a compelling geological and
cultural experience
• Hollistic approach
– for visitors and local people
– for all ages and abilities
– for all nationalities

12. Regeneration in the Geopark
• 2006 - Facilities for children and
young people one of top three
priorities
• 2007 - Community Plan and Mayor’s
Vision
• 2008 - Play area ranked as a top 10
priority for Paignton
• 2009 - Partnership to develop
Geopark themed play area

13. Paignton Community Partnership
Geoplay Park Project Formal Consultation 2009
• Questionnaires
• Radio phone-in
• Facebook support group
• 89% for Geopark themed park

14. £500,000 Funding Success
• Big Lottery Fund
Community Spaces -
Flagship Grant
• Match funding - Torbay
Council and Community
Partnership
• Play facility for children
aged 2 to 13

15. Devonian Area

16. Carboniferous Area

17. Permian Area

18. Quaternary Area

19. Paignton Geoplay Park
• New fun educational facility
• New attraction
• New catalyst for economic growth

20. Geoquest 2010 - Aims
• To reach into the heart of the Geopark community
• Target hard to reach groups
• Challenge perceptions
• Inspire people to engage with their environment
• Link the tangible with the intangible heritage
• Uncover the unexpected
• Build bridges and ingrain the Geopark concept

21. Geoquest Workshops

22. Spontaneous Events and Encounters

23. Evening Performances

24. Geoquest 2011

25. Sharing the model - Japan 2012
Workshops Performance

26. www.englishrivierageopark.org.uk
Thank you
Nick Powe Melanie Border
ERGG Chairman ERGG Coordinator