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How we maintain our parks

We are responsible for the general management and day-to-day maintenance of Bury's parks and green spaces. We undertake a wide range of horticultural and landscape operations which are managed to ensure that all sites are clean, safe, visually pleasing and contributing towards a quality environment for residents and visitors.

Area Teams

There are five area teams which carry out the grounds maintenance to parks and public open spaces throughout the borough. The areas covered by the teams are:

  1. Ramsbottom
  2. Tottington and Bury West
  3. Radcliffe
  4. Bury town centre and Bury North, South and East
  5. Whitefield, Unsworth and Prestwich.

Our gardeners

To sustain the quality of the urban parks and to ensure that the high standards required for the Green Flag award are maintained, our gardeners work closely with volunteers on carrying out a full range of horticultural and environmental maintenance.

Joint working helps to maintain the appearance of the parks, their cleanliness and make sure each park has a sense of welcome which in turn creates a sense of security and a deterrent to anti-social behaviour and crime.

Grassed areas and sports pitches

Grass is generally cut fortnightly during the season (March to October) and the cuttings left on site. However, any cuttings falling on to hard surfaces are either swept up or blown back on to the grassed areas.

Some of the more formal and decorative grassed areas may be cut weekly and the cuttings removed.

Where grass areas adjoin footpaths and roads, overgrowing turf is cut back annually in the winter season.

Bowling greens

The bowling clubs using bowling greens across the borough are run under self-management agreements and as such, the clubs are responsible for making their own arrangements for maintaining their greens throughout the season plus end of the season renovations.

Shrubs

Shrub areas are litter-picked regularly throughout the year. In summer, any persistent weed is spot treated with herbicide or removed by hand. In winter, shrub areas are raked clear of leaves, litter and debris.

Most shrubs are pruned back, depending on flowering season of specific species, particularly if they have started to encroach on to lawns, paths and roads. Residual herbicide is then applied to the beds.

Roses

Rose beds are litter picked regularly throughout the year.

During the summer period, most rose beds are hoed to cut back on weeds. The roses are usually dead-headed twice during the growing season and suckers removed.

In autumn, roses are cut back to prevent wind rock which could loosen the roots.

During March roses are pruned to encourage new growth and to remove dead and diseased shoots.

Seasonal bedding

Flower beds are litter picked on a regular basis and kept free of weed, usually by hoeing.

Summer bedding is usually planted at the end of May or beginning of June. With Spring bedding planted during October.

Baskets and tubs are kept watered throughout the summer season and dead headed as necessary.

Hedges

Hedge clipping is carried out between one and three occasions, dependent upon the species, during the summer season.

In winter, hedge gullies are cleared of weeds, litter and debris and residual herbicide is applied.

Litter and litter bins

Litter removal and the emptying of litter bins is carried out regularly throughout the year based on the time of year and usage.

Dog waste bins

These bins are emptied weekly throughout the year by our Cleansing Service.

Sports pitch marking

The football clubs using sports pitches in parks are run under self-management agreements and as such, the clubs are responsible for making their own arrangements for marking out pitches as well as over marking throughout the season, dismantling and storing of goal posts at the end of the season and annual pitch renovation.

Play areas, tennis courts and multi-use ball zones

Equipment and fixtures are inspected at least weekly and any litter, glass and debris are removed. If any equipment is found to be dangerous or unsafe we make sure nobody can use it until we can repair it or replace it.