St Austell Town Council has been bringing love and attention to its parks across the town during Love Parks Week, which ends on Sunday.  

Work is nearing completion on the improvement scheme at Bethel Park, which will be open very soon. New accessible play equipment has been installed, offering a variety of play for children of all ages and abilities. A new path has been laid, and complementary planting completed.   

Work has also started on the replacement of safety surfacing at Truro Road Park, and grant funding has been identified to replace some of the outdoor gym equipment that is starting to show its age.  

The Truro Road Park Friends Group recently carried out weeding and the clearance of a footpath, which has helped council groundsmen get the park looking its best in time for the summer holidays.  

A wide variety of flower and plants are in bloom at Poltair Park, and the café is open for business throughout the summer.   

The Meadows, behind Bishop Bronscombe School, is currently enjoying a wonderful mixture of formal and informal planting. The wildflower and natural areas at the lower end of the park provide a beautiful area for walking and appreciating wildlife including birds and insects. It also has a recently renovated small children’s area, as well as football and basketball facilities and a skateboard ramp.  

Councillor Crystal Pearce, mayor of St Austell, said: “St Austell Town Council has made tremendous progress improving the parks in St Austell in recent years, and this is reflected in how well used they are.

“As a town councillor for Bethel and Holmbush Ward, I very much look forward to seeing the newly refurbished Bethel Park open for everyone to enjoy over the summer holidays.   

“My thanks go to operations manager Steve Skinner and our contractors TK Play for carrying out this refurbishment in a well-thought-out, quick and efficient manner. We are indeed fortunate to have such wonderful facilities to enjoy across the town.” 

The town council inspects its parks weekly to ensure they are clean, tidy and safe. Park users are asked to put litter in the bins provided or take it home.   

Love Parks Week 2023 runs from July 28 to August 6. The annual campaign celebrates parks, green spaces and the dedicated volunteers and workers who look after them all year round.