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Birkenhead Park has been included on UNESCO's UK Industrial Heritage Trail, which is a new route connecting 22 places that helped shape the modern world, according to the Wirral View.
The park, which is already on the UK's Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage status, was chosen as the first site from that list to be put forward. A decision could be made as early as summer next year.
The recognition follows Birkenhead Park's World Heritage bid, which received a £177,700 boost from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The council has generously donated a further £50,000 to the project, with funding totalling £227,700.
The money is set to be used to enact a long-term development plan for the park, with the local community, stakeholders, and specialists being involved.
Councillor Max Booth, Chair of Wirral Council's Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee, said in a statement: "Birkenhead Park is not only a source of pride for Wirral but a place of global significance that helped shape how cities across the world think about public space.
"Joining UNESCO's UK Industrial Heritage Trail is a fantastic recognition of that legacy, strengthens Birkenhead Park's position as a leading heritage destination, while connecting us with other places that share our story of innovation, industry, and community.
"As we continue our bid towards World Heritage status, this milestone will help us protect and enhance the park for future generations."
We included Birkenhead Park on our best things to do in Birkenhead and Oxton list.
The park opened in 1847 and was designed by Joseph Paxton. It was created during the Industrial Revolution and offered a green environment to people living in neighbouring towns and Birkenhead, where social classes would mix.
But the real lore with the park is that it inspired the creation of Central Park in 1858, which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Currently, Central Park is not on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list, but it is on the US Tentative List, a requirement in order to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
