Work starts on Marshall Gardens in Warrington town centre

Plans to transform Marshall Gardens – the long neglected park situated opposite the Cenotaph on Bridge Foot, bordering the Mersey – were revealed last year.

After an initial clean-up of the site supported by volunteers, Warrington Borough Council's environmental team started on the site in September for the first major stage of the renovation – which over the coming months will see the plot transformed into a 'beautiful' community garden.

All shrub and tree plantings – excluding one specimen acer tree – have been cleared from the park, with all areas ground down to soil.

Clearance work at Marshall Gardens

A total of 18 new trees will be erected in their place, with the arrangement specially designed to provide open views through the gardens.

The project is being coordinated by WBC in partnership with Lisa Billing – whose son Private Daniel Wade, from Latchford, was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2012.

It is hoped that Marshall Gardens – which is named in honour of Alderman Edward Marshall, an 'influential and respected member of the community' around the Second World War – will become a 'place of peace and reflection', located opposite the Cenotaph.

Lisa is now looking for residents to nominate 'local heroes' to be given the honour of planting trees, as well as sponsors for new flower beds and an artist to design a mural.

For more information, email marshallgardenswarrington@gmail.com.

Clearance work at Marshall Gardens

Clearance work at Marshall Gardens