THE OUTSTANDING condition of Merseyside's parks has been recognised with a prestigious award.
Parks in Liverpool, Wirral and Knowsley have all received a Green Flag award - the national standard for parks and green spaces.
The Garden of Remembrance at Springwood Crematorium in south Liverpool is believed to be only the third crematorium in the country to earn the Green Flag accolade.
The Crematorium Garden joins seven other green spaces in Liverpool which have already gained Green Flags. They are Calderstones Park; Reynolds Park; Woolton Woods and Camphill; St John's Gardens; St Nicholas Church Garden; Falkner Square and Everton Park Nature Garden.
Cllr Warren Bradley, Liverpool's executive member for leisure and tourism, said: "This is yet another record achievement for our parks and green spaces. No other city can boast not only the number of Green Flags but the variety of green spaces which have achieved this award." In Wirral, Ashton Park in West Kirby, Vale Park in New Brighton and Thornton Hough Village Green were singled out as the best kept green areas.
Wirral's director of education and cultural services, Howard Cooper, said: "Wirral is pleased to be awarded Green Flags for these three parks which is a result of our staff working in partnership with local communities and other park users."
In Knowsley, seven of the borough's parks can now fly Green Flags. One was awarded for King George V in Huyton, and six existing Knowsley parks were re-accredited.
These were Henley in Whiston, St Chads in Kirkby, and four parks, McGoldrick, Sawpit, Millbrook Millennium green and Court Hey, all in Huyton.
The Green Flag Award scheme is the national standard for parks and green spaces. It is managed by the Civic Trust, and CABE Space is the main funding partner.
The scheme recognises the value of green spaces in communities, particularly urban environments, and rewards excellent standards of park management.
Paul Todd, Green Flag Award Manager at the Civic Trust, said: "Good green spaces increase the quality of people's lives, particularly in built up areas where not everyone has access to a garden.
"A good park is a place to play, to meet, to learn, to relax - and the perfect place to incorporate exercise into a busy lifestyle.
"Above all, it provides the ideal focal point for its surrounding residents, bringing its local community together like nothing else can."
Julia Thrift, Director of CABE Space, the government's parks champion, said: "We are delighted to see such a rapid growth in the number of parks and green spaces receiving Green Flag awards.
"This shows that local authorities and other organisations caring for parks and public spaces really do want to create spaces that the whole community can use and enjoy, and recognise that the Green Flag Awards scheme can help them to deliver these spaces, and drive up standards."
Phil Hope, a minister in the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister, will attend the Green Flag Awards ceremony for Northern winners in Preston on November 18.
