Graham Young visits city's 'central' park' to find out about its sparkling new look.

Birmingham's sparkling new 'central park' lit up the night sky last night - when city council leader Sir Albert Bore switched on the lights at the opening ceremony.

By keeping the £11.75m Eastside City Park illuminated all year round, the dream is that it will become a well-used avenue that is safe for all park users and, by default, vandal free.

The site will be closely monitored by CCTV cameras and it has been given two designated park keepers.

The project is seen as the catalyst for encouraging a wider development of the whole Eastside area.

Already the park is surrounded by £250 million worth of investment and the hope is that the park, and HS2 if it is given the go-ahead, will attract even more.

The 6.2 acre site will be opened to the public from Saturday, once the lighting has facilitated the removal of the perimeter fences.

As our exclusive pictures show, Eastside City Park is set to be a photographer's paradise.

It's the first new public urban park in the city for 130 years since Highgate Park opened and, unlike most of Birmingham's traditional parks, makes great use of the sky as well as a naturally sloping landscape which will facilitate good drainage.

Eastside City Park has been a joint project between Birmingham City Council, Wates Construction and landscape architect Patel Taylor.

As well as 14,300 square metres of landscaped green space, the park's features include 310 trees, a 188-metre 'canal' and a public square incorporating 21 jet fountains.

A mid-air garden canopy at the Masshouse end of the park is expected to be completed on Friday.

Aidan Smith, who managed the project for Wates Group Limited, said: "Having worked here for a year and watched the park develop, I can't wait for the spring to see how it looks then."

Jim Wilson, project manager for Birmingham City Council, added: "We are determined to make this a safe place.

"Most parks are dark at night so they are fenced off.

"Having CCTV and lights here means that we don't need fences so hopefully people will safe to use the park at any time of the day or night."

A series of outdoor events are being planned for the spring to open the park in a less formal manner.