THE future of Dunbar’s Winterfield Park remains up for discussion – despite the public stating their happiness with its present state.

Proposals to revitalise the park were put on display by Dunbar and East Linton Area Partnership (DELAP) earlier this year.

A display with a series of images and information boards explaining the potential changes to the park – ranging from new seating and picnic benches to a maze and a parkour course – were put up in the town’s Bleachingfield Centre in June.

Pippa Swan, chairwoman of DELAP, said: “I collated all the responses – there were about 60 – and sent them to East Lothian Council with no overriding comment.

“I have reported to Dunbar Community Council [of which she is a member] that it appeared the prevailing sentiment was ‘do nothing, we like it as it is’.

“It is left with East Lothian Council to come up with a formal response to that feedback.”

But a spokeswoman for East Lothian Council told the Courier that there was further consultation to be done before any decision was taken on the future of the park.

She said: “There is an outline masterplan which is currently out for consultation in the local community, including community council, area partnership and Friends of Winterfield Park.

“We await to hear the resulting views which will help guide what, if any, changes are to be considered for Winterfield.”

According to the proposals earlier this summer, a theme for the park, off North Road, was to celebrate the varied geology of the county.

Information cairns and distance markers were suggested around a circular path, with additional trim trail equipment and a new football area with permanent goals.

Long-term, there was a suggestion of a new pavilion with access to public toilets to replace Winterfield Pagoda, which was torn down by the council in March last year.

Some of the proposed projects would have needed to find funding.

Mrs Swan added: “I guess it did surprise me a little but because I thought there was potential to do something relatively low-cost and fun.

“Equally, I am acutely aware of how passionately people guard the assets they know and have loved for a long, long time.

“The reality is before any major infrastructure is done – [such as] a new changing pavilion or toilets – before that, there would be a strong argument for it and the funding behind it. At the moment there are neither.”