Bolton: Ashburner Street Elizabeth Park to be named in honour of late Queen

The much-discussed planned pocket park will sit on the former site of the Odeon Cinema on Ashburner Street and has comes amid wider ranging plans to redevelop Bolton town centre.

Now, following the Queen’s death this month after 70 years on the throne, the borough’s leaders, including council leader Cllr Martyn Cox, deputy leader Cllr Hillary Fairclough and opposition leader Cllr Nick Peel, have together decided that the green space will be known as "Elizabeth Park".

In a joint statement, they said: “Queen Elizabeth II inspired so many throughout her 70-year reign, including several visits to Bolton over the years.

“Victoria Square is named for one our greatest Monarchs, so it is only fitting that this new public space is named after the late Queen who meant so much to so many of us in Bolton.

“Elizabeth Park will be a great asset for both local residents and visitors alike for many years to come.”

The space was previously set to be known as Odeon Park (Image: Bolton Council)

Plans for the Ashburner Street park were given the go-head by Bolton Council in June and aim to make the area an "attractive and usable" space in the town centre.

The former Odeon site, which has been vacant for many years since the cinema was closed down, will be converted into a park with lawns, a performance area and a paved area with seating and picnic areas.

This could come alongside other improvements to the town centre, with Bolton having recently been awarded a slice of the government’s £9m Levelling Up Parks Fund for improving town centre parks and green spaces alongside 18 other areas across the region.

After the funding was announced, the council has recently discussed the possibility of other pocket parks in the area, while the corporate scrutiny committee has also looked at alternative plans for the borough’s greenspaces.

As well as new parks, some of the money may be spent on improving greenspaces already in existence.

The Ashburner Street site had previous been set to be known as "Odeon Park" according to artists’ impressions submitted as part of the planning process.

Queen Elizabeth II died earlier this month after a 70 year reign (Image: PA)

But since then, the death of the Queen prompted to civic leaders to consider that naming the space "Elizabeth Park" could be the perfect way of maintaining the monarch’s legacy in the town, acting as much appreciated reminder to park goers.

ALSO READ: Cash to be spent on creating new town centre parks

ALSO READ: 'Imaginative' alternative plans to create parks in Bolton town centre

Mayor of Bolton Cllr Akhtar Zaman, who was one of many civic leaders to pay tribute to the Queen on the announcement of her death felt that this could be one of the best ways of making sure that she is remembered by the borough’s residents and visitors.

He said: “It’s very exciting news and it’s a befitting tribute to our late Queen because she served this country brilliantly and we need to keep her memory alive.”

He added: “So anything that helps to do that is very much welcome and hopefully will make a lasting monument to her memory.”