A grant of £75,000 has been awarded by Veolia Environmental Trust (part of the Landfill Communities Fund) towards the re-development of play facilities at the recreation ground, following a successful funding bid by Knowsley Council in partnership with the Friends of Knowsley Village Recreation Ground and Green Spaces and Knowsley Town Council.

The improvements will include replacing the aging existing play equipment with a suite of modern play facilities serving toddlers and younger children, as well as older age groups up to 13 years.

The development also incorporates accessible play equipment for children with a range of different needs.

Work is expected to start on the improvements in the summer with the scheme completed by the end of the year.

Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods, Cllr Shelley Powell said: “This is fantastic news and comes as a result of the positive partnership working between the council, community volunteers and Town Council. The scheme will transform this green space and bring an excellent facility to the local community.”

Natalie Quick, Chair of the Friends of Knowsley Village Recreation Ground said: “This funding means everything to our community. It’s something we have been working on for a long time. It’s not just about a park – it’s about creating a safe, welcoming space where our children can play, families can gather, and people of all ages can enjoy being outdoors.

“We’re incredibly proud to see this vision becoming a reality and we will continue to work hard with our partners. We are so excited to see what the future holds for our village.”