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Two Manchester parks have been named some of the best in the UK
The city's popular suburban green spaces have been awarded the Green Flag Award.
Emily Sergeant -
15th October 2021 
Heaton Park and Alexandra Park have been named some of the best parks across the whole of the UK.
Over the past 18 months, parks and green spaces throughout the country have played a vital role for people in lockdown by providing a place to relax, exercise, and meet friends and family as safely as possible.
And some of those all-important parks are now award-winning.
Along with Gorton, Philips Park, and Southern and Blackley cemeteries, two of the city’s most-popular and much-loved suburban green spaces Heaton Park and Alexandra Park have been awarded the Green Flag Award.
Not only that, but Heaton Park – which covers an area of over 600-acres – has bagged the coveted Green Heritage Site Accreditation for the management of its historic features.
55 green spaces in total have been given the Green Flag across Greater Manchester.
If you’re not familiar with the The Green Flag Award scheme and why it’s such a brilliant achievement for the city-region, the international quality mark recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, and aims to set the benchmark standard for the management of communal spaces across the UK and around the world.
This year, as the initiative celebrates its Silver Jubilee, more than 2,000 parks and green spaces are being awarded flags nationwide.
“Our parks and green spaces have always been well used,” said Cllr Rabnawaz Akbar – Executive Member for Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council.
“But never more so than in the last year and a half as the green lungs of our city have been a lifeline for many people during lockdown.
“Although we know how good these spaces are, how dedicated our staff are as the custodians of our parks and cemeteries, the wonderful volunteers that help to make our green spaces what they are, it is also a fantastic achievement to get recognition that we are doing an excellent job for the benefit of all.”
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd has congratulated everyone involved in “making all these sites in Manchester worthy of a Green Flag Award.”
Featured Image – Geograph (David Dixon)
