Shrewsbury town centre’s upcoming new public park has been officially named Riverside Gardens.

Located along Roushill, Riverside Gardens will mark the first phase of Shropshire Council’s ambitious regeneration plans for the area between the River Severn, The Darwin Centre, Roushill and Raven Meadows.

The name was selected following an extensive public vote, with ‘Riverside’ receiving 45% of the votes for the first part of the name, and ‘Gardens’ being a clear preference over ‘Park’ with 74% of the votes.

As part of the Smithfield Riverside regeneration project, Shropshire Council gathered 541 name suggestions from the public late last year. A refined shortlist was then put to a vote in January this year (2025), with over 1,700 local people taking part.

Specialist demolition contractor Cawarden is now nearing completion of major demolition work on the former Riverside Shopping Centre and Medical Centre, clearing the way for the creation of this flagship public space in the heart of the town centre. This first phase of the project is funded by £19 million of Levelling Up money from UK Government.

In partnership with development manager RivingtonHark, the council is in the final stages of appointing a landscape contractor to create Riverside Gardens. Transition to the new contractor on site is expected to commence this summer, with completion of the park anticipated in 2026.

Riverside Gardens will transform the area, improving footfall, biodiversity and flood resilience, while creating a vibrant, welcoming space for the community. The park will feature attractive green landscaping, play equipment to attract more families, accessible facilities for visitors of all ages, and a dedicated events and performance area.

To find out more about the Smithfield Riverside project, people should visit smithfieldriverside.com