New junior playground at Walverden Park

The playground refurbishment has been carried out through the Healthy Town strand of the Town Deal programme of works which is taking place in Nelson’s three large parks - Marsden, Victoria and Walverden.

A new playground for teenagers was created at the Brunswick Street park last July, and now the junior play area has been upgraded to provide a range of equipment to suit all ages.

Councillor Asjad Mahmood, Leader of Pendle Borough Council and Nelson Town Deal board member, said: “The creation and refurbishment of these playgrounds at Walverden are two of four being funded through the Nelson Town Deal as part of the Healthy Town project, along with others at Marsden Park and Victoria Park, to provide top-class leisure facilities for the people of Nelson.

“Public consultations were held during autumn 2022, where local residents were given the opportunity to have a say in the design of the playground at Walverden Park.

“The main feedback was for the equipment to be easily accessed by children of all ages and abilities. All the suggestions were considered in the design and as many of the ideas as possible have been incorporated.”

The new playground - installed by industry specialists Kompan - features, amongst other things, a large central climbing frame for juniors, with a smaller platform for infants, an accessible roundabout, a multi-person seesaw and a combination of swings for all abilities.

All the equipment sits on brightly coloured safety carpet flooring which will provide an inspiring environment for children to play and learn, alongside new thermographic markings on the tarmac.

Phil Riley, Pendle Borough Council’s Green Spaces Manager, added: “Later this year, the adjacent MUGA will be refurbished, with repainting and resurfacing work being carried out.

“This will then mean the junior playground, senior playground and MUGA will all provide high-quality leisure facilities to benefit local residents.”