Sefton Council has recorded a cumulative investment of £753,000 in Derby Park in Bootle, Merseyside, to improve the historic space for local families. As of 29 January 2026, the funding has been used to install Sefton’s largest play area and works are ongoing to improve the park’s central steps and walking paths.
The project aims to protect the park’s Victorian heritage while making it more useful for people today. The money has been used for a mix of larger infrastructure jobs — such as drainage work and repairs to the central steps — and heritage projects, including cleaning up statues and restoring the park’s 1894 water fountain.
According to Sefton Council, the new play area is Sefton’s largest play area. Local volunteers from the Friends of Derby Park have also been involved in improvements and community events, helping to make the park a friendlier place for everyone to visit.
The Sefton Directory highlights the park’s facilities and its role for the local community’s recreation and wellbeing. This work is happening at the same time as other major changes in the area, including the multi‑million‑pound redevelopment of Bootle Strand (reported funding in the wider regeneration programme is around £20m).
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
