Coun Ken Moss
Cabinet member for education, leisure and arts
AS the leaves turn and the autumn colours come through, it’s got me thinking just how lucky we are to have so many fabulous parks and open spaces right here in Hyndburn, where we can enjoy our great outdoors for leisure, recreation and sport.
I’m proud that seven of our parks have been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as some of the very best in the world with Wilson Playing Fields & Woodlands, Lowerfold Park, Cutwood Park, Oakhill Park, Mercer Park, Gatty Park and Peel Park scooping the prestigious Green Flag Award.
The work of the team at Accrington Cemetery and Crematorium has also been recognised with a Green Flag Award too – the mark of a quality park or green space.
Work to transform Rhyddings Park in Oswaldtwistle is set to continue and recent improvements have already made a huge difference to the feel of the park, making it more welcoming and user friendly.
The £2million scheme, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, includes landscape work to resurface footpaths, creating an amphitheatre performance space, refurbishing the ornamental gar- den, cleaning up and restoring some of the stone features around the park and re-developing the park entrance at Rhyddings Street.
The next phase of works will refurbish and extend the coach house, rebuild the walled garden, replace the glass house and construct raised beds for plant and food production. These works are due to begin at the end of this month and should last around six months.
More good news is that two of our spectacular natural green spaces, Peel Park & the Coppice and Woodnook Vale are being recognised as the two largest Local Nature Reserves in Lancashire, making Hyndburn the first in the county to meet the national target for Local Nature Reserves and placing the Borough among the best landscapes in the UK.
Highams Playing Fields has been in the news recently after Accrington Stanley Community Trust approached the Council with a view to investing £2 million to upgrade community facilities there.
They are looking to provide an enhanced range of facilities, including a fullsize floodlit 3G artificial pitch, multiple junior and adult football pitches; a rugby pitch and an artificial cricket wicket, along with changing rooms and classrooms.
The site will be accessible to anyone during opening hours and there will be a cafeteria open to all too.
Accrington Stanley Community Trust is continuing to develop their proposals for Highams Playing Fields and plan to hold a public meeting after they publish their proposals for Highams.
When a planning application is submitted, the Council will also seek the views of local residents on the proposed develop- ment. As well as lots to offer outdoors we also have plenty on offer indoors too.
Adventure City, a new play facility with zones for babies, toddlers, and juniors, has attracted 27000 visitors and hosted over 50 birthday parties since opening in June.
The scheme was funded by the Council’s Capital Programme and we’re delighted with the huge increase in attendances when compared with the previous sports hall facility.
If you haven’t visited yet why not take the children or grandchildren along for a treat?