THIS open letter is another call for help from Bolton councillors to save our park greens and the social/active community that revolves around them.

For a number of years the lack of proper maintenance on the park greens have caused them to deteriorate to the point that most of them are 'not fit for purpose ' — and some are on the verge of being beyond repair, needing closure to get them in proper condition causing disruption to the team bowling fixtures and the social/active life that helps to keep these parks alive.

This lack of maintenance by the parks department is upsetting for folk who rely on this activity as they are not getting pleasure trying to bowl on the greens any more.

Some less active park green members have actually given up due to the effort needed to 'chuck' bowls across '' ploughed fields'' — causing back/shoulder sprains. Although this problem has been highlighted by the various club secretaries on a regular basis with no response, apart from a negative reply to any help, bowlers got together in early May and formed a 'Bolton park green action group' to co-ordinate our efforts to meet with the parks officials to 'save our greens'.

Although Councillor Walsh has made efforts to get the parks department to talk with us, we have still not got a date to meet. This negative response is only making the greens worse and will create more expense and inconvenience when repair work eventually begins.

MP Mr David Crausby is also making efforts to arrange a meeting .

In a Bolton News story on June 29, a council spokesman said: “As a result of concerns raised by users of a number of greens, the executive cabinet member for Environmental Services, Councillor Peel, has asked officers to prepare a report to explore various mid to long term options for the future maintenance of bowling facilities and greens. A future meeting will then be arranged with the various leagues based in the borough.”

We consider that immediate action is needed to save our greens as well as 'mid to long term '

We have not heard anything yet which is why we have written this open letter. We have no confidence in the council's actions or intentions to manage and maintain our park greens properly or to meet with us in good time to start to improve our greens.

Kevan Latham

Bolton park greens action group