?70m facelift for parks

PLANS to spend ?70m improving Liverpool?s parks and green spaces were unveiled today.

The council said the funding would be part of a 25-year plan to restore the city?s heritage parks, including Sefton and Stanley Parks.

Improvements will also be made to Fairfield?s Newsham Park, Knotty Ash?s Springfield Park and Anfield cemetery, as well as other key projects, including the restoration of Croxteth country park and the relocation of the unique botanic plant collection.

Up to ?1m will be spent upgrading play areas in parks and public spaces as part of the scheme, which councillors insist shows Liverpool?s commitment to its Year of the Environment.

They said the world?s economic downturn could not get in the way of investment in communities.

The measures form part of an overall spending plan setting out how more than ?800m will be spent over coming years.

Council leader Warren Bradley said: ?The city has undergone a dramatic change and we need to sustain this.?

Recreation will also benefit, with up to ?5.1m to be spent refurbishing sports centres. A further ?1m will be spent on swimming facilities at Everton Park?s Lifestyles centre, while ?1.2m will go on refurbishing and expanding Ellergreen Lifestyles, in Norris Green. more

It'll be typical of the council to spend money on Springfield Park when part of it will be used for the new Alder Hey.

THe Echo has been printing this old chestnut for about the last four years, the only change is in the amount of money promised. You can bet your boots the bulk of the money will be channeled elsewere.