And, right at the centre, a new regional park: ‘Greenheart’.
Bounded by the former mining townships of Wigan, Ashton, Golborne, Leigh and Hindley, with the communities of Platt Bridge and Abram at its centre, Greenheart is open to visitors.
For many birdwatchers, horse riders and walkers, places like Pennington Country Park, Amberswood Common and the Wigan Flashes are familiar stomping grounds. And Greenheart wants to attract more people into the borough’s glorious countryside.
Greenheart chair and former deputy council leader John O’Neill said: “There’s a lot of talk these days about the healthy agenda and cutting obesity,” says John. “One of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve fitness is just to get out walking.”
Greenheart is also about making more sites accessible. Already, more than £2m has been invested in routes for cycles, horses and wheelchair users.
This spring saw a new connection in the Greenway/National Cycleway Network joining Ince Green Lane to Amberswood Common. Next year, the Bridgewater Canal celebrates 250 years, with improvements to 40 miles of towpaths. The work is being led by the Bridgewater Canal Trust, one of the partnerships that the Greenheart board are forging with landowners and communities across the borough.
John adds: “Recently, we had the wonderful news of success with a Heritage Lottery fund for the Lightshaw Meadows project – an important wetland meadow site within Greenheart.”
Another very real issue being addressed by Greenheart is conservation.
Youngsters enjoying outdoor activities
The willow tit has seen a 92 per cent decline in ten years, so new nesting sites are being prepared with habitat planting to suit the threatened species: it’s one of the first projects to take a boroughwide approach to species conservation within our area.
“At this difficult economic time, enjoying the great outdoors may not be the first thing on our minds,” John adds. “Greenheart is itself playing its part in the recovery: Wigan Council is working with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Groundwork in a range of activities on Greenheart sites to provide skills and practical training for 18 to 24 year olds, through the Future Jobs Fund scheme.”
So, get out there! See the What’s On guide at the back of this issue for organised events. Those hidden delights are just waiting to be explored. Discover Greenheart from the comfort of your own home bu visiting the website, details below.
First, discover Greenheart from the comfort of your own home. Visit Greenheart (external link) – it started with a click!
