Thompson Park restoration work gets under way

The boathouse will be transformed into a cafe that will allow people to stay in the park for longer and enjoy views of the boating lake and play area.

Burnley Leisure Trust will manage the cafe and the space inside will be transformable for activities and groups that the trust runs. There will also be extra seating on the terrace and new storage units for boats and kayaks.

As part of Burnley Council’s commitment to make the borough a dementia friendly community, extra funding will pay for dementia-friendly features such as a disabled toilet, use of tonal

contrast in surface finishes and making the cafe an uncluttered environment.

Coun. Margaret Lishman, chairman of the Burnley Dementia Action Alliance, said: “The level walking surfaces and easy to navigate pathways, with the variety sensory experiences to enjoy, will make the park a great place for people living with dementia.”

The work on the pavilion will see many of its original features restored and will provide a community space and kitchen for groups such as schools, exhibitions and Friends of Thompson Park meetings.

The work is being carried out by Rosslee Construction and is set to be complete by the end of April.

Coun. John Harbour, Executive member for housing and environment, said: “It’s great to see the restoration of Thompson Park take shape. The boathouse and boating lake hold some great memories for generations of local residents and I’m sure they’ll be pleased to see it being developed for generations to come.”

Other architectural elements included in the wider refurbishment of the park include work on the toilet block in the play area and the shelters in the Italian Garden.