A historic Accrington park is set to have a large new £120,000 play area installed soon. Milnshaw Park, opened as Accrington’s first park in 1880, will soon boast a brand new play area for local children to enjoy, when a brand new facility is opened there in the summer.

Local children were asked what they’d like to see in their park and as a result the project will see an aerial runway, basket swing, large rotator, swings and a ‘skynet’, a pyramid shaped large net and a climbing wall installed. For the younger children there’ll be a colourful climbing structure in the shape of a train, with a slide at one end.

The Hyndburn Green Spaces Forum, working closely with Hyndburn Borough Council have secured a grant from the Lancashire Environmental Fund for £30,000 with Hyndburn Council providing the remainder to help deliver this dream. Councillor Paul Cox, a member of Milnshaw Residents Association, said; “Providing the new play area within Milnshaw Park compliments other recent improvements to the park including a large multi-use games area. This new addition is part of a long term plan to improve the park for the local community and one we’ve been working on for many years. Huge thanks to local children and community groups like the Milnshaw Residents Association and Hyndburn Green Spaces Forum, who have helped us to deliver this vision”.

Tom Dunne, Chair of Milnshaw Residents Association; said; “It’s great that the park will soon have a new and improved play area for local children to enjoy.”

Cath Holmes from the Hyndburn Green Spaces Forum, said; “This is fantastic news for one of Hyndburn’s much loved green spaces and the children in the area.”