Local people will play a major part in devising a £4 million lottery bid for improvements to Cliffe Castle Park.

Keighley News readers can help draw up a "wish list" of new amenities for the popular park.

Older readers are being asked to recall attractions of yesteryear that could be restored to their former glory.

The suggestions could be included in a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for work beginning in about five years.

Central to the bid would be repairs to the park's existing facilities, including walls, paths, greenery and cafe.

But there would be scope for flagship projects within the extensive grounds, including restoration of the fountains.

There could also be reinstatement of the long-gone heather garden (pictured right), lake, viewing platform, covered walkway and "blind garden".

Other possibilities are extensions to the playground, animal area and greenhouses, and restoration of caves and bandstand.

The old woodland walk near Greenhead School could be improved, and a new skate park built near Skipton Road.

John Scholefield, Bradford Council's parks boss for Keighley, said he and fellow staff already had ideas.

But they needed to hear from local people who had known and loved the park either now or in the past.

Mr Scholefield said: "We have to make sure that what we're proposing is what people want in terms of history.

"The park has changed in its nature as we've maintained it, and we've lost some of those things.

"We have to restore it to something like its old condition, because it's a Heritage bid, but it also has to reflect what people want now.

"We have to get the balance right. There is so much we could think about doing, but we need to know what people really want."

If the bid is successful, Cliffe Castle would become the third of Bradford Council's main parks to receive major lottery funding.

Lister Park, in Manningham, in 2001 received £4 million for improvements including a playground, boating lake, bowling pavilion and Mughal garden.

Park chiefs have spent the past two years preparing the second bid, for £3 million of improvements to Roberts Park in Saltaire, and will officially apply next April.

The Cliffe Castle application might not be submitted for another three years, but preparations must begin now to ensure the public are fully involved and the details meet Heritage Lottery requirements.

Most of the money would come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with the rest from Bradford Council itself, and possibly environmental trusts.

Mr Scholefield said district and town councils would be consulted as well as residents living near the park, visitors and other local people. A Friends group will be set up for interested local people, both to provide support and apply for cash for smaller improvements.

Mr Scholefield said he would also work with Keighley Local History Society, which has already suggested restoring the park's two fountains.

He said there might also be scope to rebuild the small lake that used to lay between the two fountains, below the museum.

He added: "Clearly the fountains would be the key to any restoration process."

Mr Scholefield, whose office is at Cliffe Castle, would like local people to answer some of his questions about the park.

He said: "It's a really interesting park, which is why it draws people from such a distance. I remember coming from Halifax on Sunday School trips as a child.

"What was the park like in the 1950s? Why is there a wall near the bottom of the park? Was there a road through at one time?"

Mr Scholefield would particularly like to make use of the large grass area running alongside the Skipton Road wall.

He wonders whether it should remain untouched -- suitable for ball games -- or have a facility specifically aimed at the Asian community living nearby.

Simon Cooke, the Bradford councillor responsible for parks, said that along with Lister Park and Roberts Park, Cliffe Castle was one of the district's top three parks.

He said: "There's quite a big timescale on these Heritage Lottery bids, but we'd like to move the bid quickly.

"When we put the proposals together, we'll work with Heritage Lottery to increase the chance we get money.

"It's about making sure there's a real connection between Cliffe Castle and the people living around it, a real sense of joint working.

"Cliffe Castle is clearly of considerable importance to the people living around. We've all taken our kids around it, it's part of Keighley's heritage."

Cllr Cooke hoped that a successful bid for park improvements would lead to potential ideas and funding for improving Cliffe Castle Museum.

Anyone with ideas should contact John Scholefield on 01535 618265.