Bollington Recreation Ground is officially one of the best parks in the country. The Adlington Road open space has been given awarded Green Flag status after a rigorous inspection by judges from the Civic Trust, following an announcement by the Parks Minister Baroness Andrews.
Macclesfield Borough Council (MBC) has invested £150,000 in the Adlington Road facility, with resurfaced tennis courts, fencing around the bowling green, new seating, bins, signage, access, boundary fencing, restoring the existing gates, enhancing the woodland areas with wood carvings, and introducing more planting schemes in the eight-acre park.
Inspectors Emma Edgley and Lorraine Cross from the Civic Trust, which awards Green Flag status, toured the facility accompanied by MBC staff, and met the volunteers who make up an enthusiastic Friends of Bollington Recreation Ground and representatives from Bollington Cricket Club, one of the main users of the “Rec”.
Parks and Open Space Development Officer Roy Lowndes says: “It looked fantastic in the sunshine and the inspectors took a look at our improvements, talked to the Friends group, and found out more about our plans. We’re thrilled at the result and it’ll be accompanied by recommendations for further improvements to make the park even better for the community.”
The Moor in Knutsford has also undergone thousands of pounds worth of investment. The package of improvements for The Moor includes new classical-style boundary fencing, oak promenade seating around the Mere to allow visitors to enjoy the view, and an enlarged play area to accommodate new equipment in future. New signage including information devoted to the history of the park will be introduced and is planned to complement those already erected in Knutsford Town Centre. The work is partly funded by money given for community benefit through developments in the town.
The Green Flag scheme is managed by the Civic Trust, the country’s leading urban environment charity. The Trust’s aim is to inspire and promote progressive improvements in the quality of urban life for everyone, and the Green Flag Awards are a key part of that objective. The awards scheme started in 1996 and winners must apply each year to renew their status.
