Tens of thousands of pounds could be set to be spent on improving parks and children’s play areas highlighted by popular demand.

Last summer, Cllr Debbie Newall announced that Kearsley has been chosen for funding to improve and upgrade public spaces.

She has now revealed that the funding comes to around £65,000 which will be distributed across parks identified by herself and her colleague Cllr Melanie Livesey.

Cllr Newall said: “We want to use it to improve children’s parks so me and Melanie have sent a list to officers.

“We’ve had representations made from residents because the facilities aren’t great so we’ve asked officers if they can have a look.”

The Bolton News: Bolton Council officers have been given a list of potential landBolton Council officers have been given a list of potential land (Image: Newsquest)

She added: “So we’ve given lists of what we want and asked for costs about what’s feasible and what’s not feasible.”

The parks are found across Mossfield Lane, Brooke Street close to the Hare and Hound pub, on Hulme Road, with potentially a new park to be created around Lord Street.

Cllr Newall says that creating a new pocket park around the Lord Street area has long been an aspiration of hers and the since retired One Kearsley leader Paul Heslop’s.

This has been made possible thanks to “106 funding”, which is money supplied by developers for useful community projects and facilities like parks.

Councillors can support applications for 106 funding if the projects they have in mind take place in the same area as the developers are carrying out work.

Cllr Newall said: “This is one of our big priorities, to improve parks throughout the area.”

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But she says that there are also proposals for other kinds of improvements around the Kearsley area, including up to six new “chatty benches”, which encourage people to sit down and talk to each other.

These will be installed once suitable location are identified across the area.

There are also moves for a new Covid Memorial Garden, which will commemorate the lives lost during the pandemic of recent years once a suitable location is found.

Cllr Newall said: “Its only a small monument, nothing spectacular, just a little area where people can come and reflect.”