A 2.4 metre upright sculpture with a smooth pebble-like surface will be the focal point of Mansfield District Council’s new pocket park. A carved hole near the top of the stone has been designed to represent the future or something beyond, referring to the positive changes visitors will soon see in the town centre.

The sculpture will celebrate Mansfield and its community, fortitude and resilience as the district looks to the future and will act as a focus for remembrance, gathering and thought. Inspirational words will be engraved around the base of the sculpture and within the seating walls of the garden.

The monument will not be specific to any group, date or experience. The council said this will ensure it remains relevant to all visitors, who can use the green space for reflection based on their own individual circumstances.

Terraced grassed areas will cascade down the former car park from Queen Street towards the grade II* listed Old Town Hall. The calm, reflective space, which aims to provide a pleasant space for visitors to spend time, will feature trees, plants and uplighting. The council is working with Severn Trent to include Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) such as rain gardens and permeable paving into the design to soak up rainwater and reduce the risk of flooding.

The Old Town Hall car park will close at 00:01am on Sunday, 3 April ahead of the site being secured later that day ready for building work to start.

As part of the wider Urban Greening project, a pocket park with a slide for youngsters will be created on the grassy slope on the corner of Walkden Street and Quaker Way. Both green spaces have been designed to improve the air quality, water drainage and physical appearance of the town centre.

Smaller projects will see improved lighting of the road bridge on Stockwell Gate, planting on Quaker Way in front of the entrance ramp to the Four Seasons car park and planters, street furniture and lighting on the concourse area of the old bus station.

All these council projects, with Edge and VIA East Midlands as lead designers and Severn Trent as a partner, have been paid for by £1m of Towns Fund accelerated funding topped up by Severn Trent funds for the rain gardens.

Coun Stuart Richardson, portfolio holder for regeneration and growth, said: “We’re really excited to see the difference that these projects will make to the town centre. It’s not just about improving the appearance of our town, but also making it cleaner, greener and healthier. All these improvements will help make Mansfield more attractive and encourage people to spend more time and therefore money in the town centre for the benefit of the local economy, our residents and visitors.”

In addition to the council’s own Urban Greening schemes, Severn Trent is looking to install around 15,000 green interventions including rain gardens, planters and permeable paving across the district, in a series of ambitious projects starting this year. The project, which will start in Ravensdale and Mansfield town centre, will help to alleviate flooding by slowing down and storing rainwater.