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Cheers @James - so I wonder if the Netherton Colliery Brass Band were playing in the Bandstand for the opening? The year for this photo of the band was estimated at c1959 :-

Evan Martin, in his book on the Ironworks states the bandstand was built in 1959 when the buildings around furnace bank were demolished, the site cleared and Dene Park formed. The stone from the institute engraved with the works motto ‘Vivitur Igne et Aqua et Ferro Deo Favente (‘We Live by Fire, Water, Iron and the Grace of God’) was set into the newly built bandstand and this can be seen in the photo. The bandstand was demolished in the 1970’s. At around the same time a bandstand was built near Spring View at the bottom end of Bedlington. The Salvation Army band and local Colliery bands used to give concerts at these two bandstands and they were quite popular for a while then along came TV and people lost interest in that sort of entertainment.

Don't know when the bandstand was built and can't find an image of the bandstand that we might be able to work out the date from any other buildings in that image. Can't make out what the objects between the edge of the Hairpin Bend and the seven sisters are. My eyes think they are various shaped stones at the side of the road not the roof tops of any buildings. The poem - The Poplars was posted on the Facebook group Bygone Bedlington but I can't find the posting to see if the person who posted it gave any info - I'll keep searching