The Chron launched the campaign to Reclaim The Racecourse in June this year after crime levels, including a spate of robberies, blighted the park in May.
The campaign, started in partnership with The Friends of Northampton Racecourse (FONR) has helped drive forward all the authorities into taking action to restore the park to its former glory and ensure the safety of people using it.
Successes include police operations to crack down on crime, the setting up of a joint action group between police, local authorities and other bodies to tackle the robbery problem.
The campaign also spawned a new board to oversee improvements to The Racecourse, with the aim of supporting Northampton Borough Council in drawing up a masterplan for the park.
All councillors backed a motion put before them to support the Chron campaign and to commit to a masterplan to rejuvenate the park.
Now the Racecourse Reborn phase of the campaign will push for commitment by all local groups to improve The Racecourse around the Healthy Living Hub – a plan spearheaded by the FONR – which would see the park transformed into a place for health and wellbeing as well as building a community cafe at its heart.
The campaign will also seek to keep pressure on Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire Police to maintain the focus on the park.
Chris Savage, chairman of The Friends of the Northampton Racecourse, said: "Overall things are definitely getting better and I think everyone has definitely played their part.
"Borough council officers are becoming more open to working with us, the police have raised their game. All we have to do know is to ensure that neither take their eye off the ball." He added: "I think the Chron absolutely should be lauded for getting behind a positive campaign rather than focusing on the negative and we hope that with its support that we can continue to make The Racecourse a place which all the people of Northampton can enjoy and treasure."
Councillor Andrew Simpson (Lib Dem, Kingsley) who has been a long term campaigner for The Racecourse, said: "I welcome the Chron moving on to the next phase of its campaign from investigation work to pushing for the council to come out with a clear action plan which is above all realistic and deliverable."
Councillor Phil Larratt (Con, East Hunsbury), cabinet member with responsibility for community engagement, said that a meeting this week would set out the foundations for a masterplan for The Racecourse.
He added that work would soon start on fencing for the bowls green, the need for which was raised by the Chron, and that funding had been found to pay for the works.
Supt John Jones, head of community policing in Northamptonshire west, said that the Chron campaign had helped harden the resolve of all partners in trying to improve the condition of the Racecourse.
And he announced that from January next year that The Racecourse would be at the heart of an area covered by a new safer community team (SCT) of beat bobbies, police community support officers and special constables.
He said: "The SCTs have partnership working at their heart, which will reflect the partnership working we are doing in Northampton at a higher level.
"The extra officers will mean that The Racecourse will have a greater police presence on it throughout the day, which we are sure will reassure residents and improve the quality of life for people living near to and using The Racecourse."
melissa.lee@northantsnews.co.uk

Your survey responses will influence the big decisions
A SURVEY of Chronicle & Echo readers will be used by the council, police and volunteer groups to help make decisions on the future of The Racecourse.
The questionnaire, which was posted out to subscribers and opened up to everyone on the Chron's website – www.
northamptontoday.co.uk – had more than 400 responses.
It revealed that an overwhelming 81 per cent of readers backed the idea of a community cafe to boost the park and that over 80 per cent of readers would visit the park more often if changes were made.
Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire Police and The Healthy Living Hub, a plan to revamp The Racecourse starting with a new community cafe and healthy living centre, have all agreed to take on board the results of the survey as part of their future plans. A spokesman for Northampton Borough Council said: "We would like to thank everyone who took the time to participate in this survey.
"The Racecourse is an important part of the town, an area we should all feel we can take pride in and enjoy.
"The results of this survey will be studied by officers at Northampton Borough Council to allow us to identify the key issues raised by Racecourse users."
The report on the Chron's survey is also being used as part of a feasibility study being compiled by Anthony Collins Solicitors, which will be used in The Healthy Living Hub's bids for funding and support from government.
Supt John Jones, the head of community policing in Northamptonshire West also said officers would study the results of the survey when considering policing the park.