What are the “Central Parks” information boards?
If you’ve come across one of the green interpretation boards labelled Central Parks around Walton-le-Dale, you’re not alone in wondering what they relate to. There’s no obvious park of that name, and little information online to explain them.
In fact, they are the surviving traces of a short-lived project that once set out to link together much of the local landscape — much of it within what were historically the boundaries of the old Walton-le-Dale Urban District.
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A hidden network through a familiar landscape
Rather than being a single place, “Central Parks” was a way of describing a connected network of green spaces, riverside paths, and former transport routes.
In Walton-le-Dale, the most important of these is the line of the former Blackburn–Preston railway, later part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. What was once a busy industrial route is now a quiet corridor of woodland paths, embankments, and cuttings — a landscape many people use without necessarily knowing its origins.
The project linked this route with:
- the River Ribble and its crossings
- local parks and open spaces
- nearby areas such as Bamber Bridge and Lostock Hall
- wider routes including the Guild Wheel
Taken together, these formed a continuous route through the area — one that largely sits within, or closely follows, the extent of the former urban district.
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Explaining what’s under your feet
The information boards were installed to highlight something that isn’t immediately obvious: that this landscape has been shaped by layers of history.
They typically focus on:
- the development of the railway and its role in local industry
- the engineering of embankments, bridges, and cuttings
- the gradual decline of the railway and its reuse as open space
- the return of wildlife along these now-quiet routes
In many cases, you are walking along what was once a key transport artery, now repurposed as a green corridor.
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A project that quietly disappeared
“Central Parks” itself was never a formal park or long-term organisation. It appears to have been a funded project, supported by local authorities including Lancashire County Council and South Ribble Borough Council.
As with many such schemes:
- the work was completed
- the branding was not maintained
- the website and supporting material were eventually withdrawn
What remains today are the physical elements — the paths, and the interpretation boards — but not the overall identity that once connected them.
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A legacy still visible
Although the name “Central Parks” has largely disappeared, its legacy is still very much part of Walton-le-Dale.
The former railway line continues to provide:
- a well-used walking and cycling route
- a valuable wildlife corridor
- a direct link between communities that were once connected by industry
The boards, where they survive, offer a glimpse into that transformation.
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Seeing the area differently
Understanding what “Central Parks” was helps to make sense of these spaces. What might appear to be isolated paths or patches of woodland are, in fact, part of a much larger story — one that reflects the transition of Walton-le-Dale from an industrial landscape into a network of accessible green spaces.
In that sense, the boards are more than just interpretation. They are reminders of an idea that, while no longer promoted, can still be followed on the ground.
Central Parks: early ambitions and what followed
Work began on the Central Parks project in August 2015, with South Ribble Borough Council starting on site at what was intended to be the first of a series of linked green spaces under the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal.
The initial focus was the creation of St Catherine’s Park in Lostock Hall. This involved bringing together two adjoining areas of land — the council-owned Dandy Brook Park and a neighbouring site belonging to St Catherine’s Hospice — which had previously been separated by a brick wall. Plans included linking the two through a new ornamental heritage gateway and a specially commissioned Inglis-style bridge.
The scheme was ambitious in scope. Alongside improved access, it proposed a range of features including a natural play area, interpretation boards, carved wooden sculptures, and new parking provision. A significant element was the creation of a peace garden and a major war memorial near the Stanifield Lane roundabout. This memorial, forming the centrepiece of the park, was intended to carry the names of more than 600 local men from South Ribble who lost their lives in the First World War — the first time these names had been brought together in one place, through the work of local historian Charlie O’Donnell. A dedication ceremony was planned for Remembrance Day 2015, with the wider park expected to open in spring 2016.
At the time, St Catherine’s Park was described as the starting point for a much broader vision. The Central Parks strategy aimed to provide a framework for linking green spaces across South Ribble into a single, connected network. This would draw together parks, public rights of way, and former transport corridors — including routes such as the old railway lines around Walton-le-Dale — to create a continuous and accessible landscape for residents and visitors.
In practice, while St Catherine’s Park was delivered and the wider network of paths and spaces continues to exist, the Central Parks identity itself was not maintained in the long term. The branding has largely disappeared, and the project is no longer promoted as a single joined scheme. What remains are the physical improvements — including the park, access routes, and interpretation boards — which still reflect the original ambition to connect these spaces, even if that wider framework is no longer widely recognised.