Barely a week goes by without at least one gracing the pages of the Telegraph & Argus.

Colourful, lively photographs of events in City Park: the razamataz of Bollywood, death-defying acrobats, innovative art installations and - recently - bands and singers of all description at a national music day.

This once-controversial attraction continues to delight and entertain, bringing a sense of vibrancy and excitement to this once uninspiring space beside City Hall.

Last year more than 110,000 people visited the award-winning park to attend different events, with 150,000 coming for Bradford Festival alone, 25,000 for the Christmas lights switch and 10,000 enjoying the Urban Festival.

Opening in March 2012, the £24.5million development - which evolved from an idea in architect Wil Alsop’s masterplan for the city centre - took around 18 months to deliver.

“The plan was about having water as a focal point, with a ‘business forest’ around it,” says Bradford Council’s economic development programme manager Clare Wilkinson.“For people to be able to see changes inspires confidence in the wider community.”

The British Council of Shopping Centres recently listed Bradford as one of nine areas of the UK where the public and private sector united to kickstart city centre redevelopment, and named the park as a key project.

Recent warm weather has attracted up to 3,000 people a day to the park, whose success has defied initial critics. “When City Park was first proposed and the first shovel went into the ground people were quite sceptical. We were entering a time of austerity measures and people were looking at Council services and asking why we were spending such a lot on the park,” says Jonny. “Now the park has instilled a sense of pride among people - I have spoken to people who were unsure about it who now say they could not imagine Bradford without it. It has acted as a catalyst for regeneration.”

Adds Clare: “At the time Broadway was not underway and we had what people called the hole in the ground. They asked how we could be investing in the mirror pool when Broadway had not been built. We showed confidence in the city by forging ahead. The park is now a focal point, an iconic view."

A series of cameras recording footfall at City Park have been strategically placed around it. Last year it logged 4.1million people, the year before, four million, and around three million from March to December in 2012. Numbers attending special events last year included around 10,000 at the Bradford Pride celebrations, 5,000 who visited the Ice Sculpture Trail, 5,000 who watched the theatrical adventure Spellbound and 2,500 who enjoyed films broadcast over summer.

“We are target this year to at least maintain 4.1million, but we would, if possible, like to improve this,” says Jonny. “Some people will be passing through, but are still using the park even if they are walking from the university to the city centre.”

Visitors are coming from across the UK and Europe. “Some are coming to look at City Park with a view to replicating it. Local people are coming down for the day with a picnic,” says Jonny, “The weather is bringing people in - there are free toilets and a cafe. it’s like a day at the ‘seaside.’ And at lunchtime office workers make a beeline for the park.”

Children of all ages are currently enjoying Fun and Film Wednesdays on the big screen from 11.30am to 3.30pm. Tomorrow, ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ is followed by the chance to see and hold animals at City Library. Next Wednesday ‘Tangled’ will be screened.

A study of City Park by the Universities of Bradford, Keele and York, went by the title 'the great meeting place’, reflecting ‘the core vision of the park.’ The findings emphasised how members of the public from all sections of society meet and share the space.

Visitor numbers will rise again when the Westfield shopping centre opens. “It will bring an extra eight or nine million visitors a year to the city centre,” says Clare.

New pedestrian signage, electronic signage for car parking and Wayfinder maps will direct people to and from the park to the Westfield centre. “It will help maintain movement between the two.”

Despite the visitor numbers, there have been few instances of people using the park inappropriately. “Most people are respectful ,” says Jonny, “We have a relaxed management plan - we do not want to be Draconian we want people to enjoy the park.”

*Tomorrow’s Fun and Film animal experience required booking: 01274 433600 or email city.library@bradford.gov.uk.