Council vows to tidy up Whitaker park
BOSSES promised to tackle an “overgrown” flagship park ahead of a much heralded re-opening later this month.
The Whitaker in Rawtenstall, has received a £1.9million National Lottery
Heritage Fund redevelopment which is due to be unveiled on Saturday, July 24.
Visitors will be the first to tour the new cafe bar, event and community space and catering kitchen at the former Rossendale Museum.
Rossendale council has now promised to address issues in the general condition of the surrounding Whitaker Park after it was slammed by a Free Press reader.
Resident David Acton said a lack of bins leads to waste over the park all the time, and also criticised broken, uplifted and blocked drain gulley blocks.
He added: “Grass cutting like we’ve never seen. Just at the sides of the paths a single mow stroke.
“All sidings overgrown with nettles and brambles. The cycle area can’t be used by the kids on their little bikes because of the overgrown vegetation.
“There is a dangerous 2ft hole where concrete has failed near the basketball area just waiting for a serious accident to happen, covered over by the council with a pallet that people move exposing it and recovered by passers by.
“People have even tackled areas on their own in disgust.”
In response, Rossendale council said they visited last week and were due to be getting a team in this week to tidy the park.
A spokesperson said: “We have had to redirect staff to cemeteries over the last couple of weeks and due to the time of year and the growth rate in the grass the park has become overgrown in parts.
“We have a planned programme of work which has been arranged and agreed with The Whitaker ahead of the opening, and there will be improvements made over the coming weeks.”
Last week it was confirmed that The Whitaker and Rossendale Leisure
Trust would be working more closely in future, with the leisure trust helping the Whitaker Community Interest Company with strategic planning and marketing support, in a bid to jointly promote physical health alongside cultural wellbeing.