Boston Borough Council

Visions for a modern, exciting new Boston Leisure Project are being created and we need local people to give us their ideas to help the design process. 

The ‘Boston Leisure project’ is part of the Towns Deal where £21.9m in Towns Funding was announced in 2021 for transformational projects in Boston.

The project will see a remodelled Geoff Moulder Leisure Complex to provide additional and improved facilities, utilising the existing public and training pools, all under one roof.

This project will ‘provide the opportunity to transform the leisure provision’ in the town with the help from you, our residents and current users of the centre.

All comments received will be considered, and fed in to the emerging design processes as far as possible, whilst recognising there is need to ensure we can produce a cost effective, viable and deliverable scheme. 

Cllr Nigel Welton, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Planning, said: “This part of the Boston Town Fund investment is able to help us reach our priority set in our corporate strategy which is to ‘provide affordable and accessible leisure opportunities for all’ including our commitment to provide communities with access to modern, high-quality leisure facilities.

“The current leisure facility in Boston is dated and inefficient so we plan to improve and utilise the existing centre and bring it all under one roof. We hope the plans so far attract residents as we aspire to provide enhanced health and wellbeing options for people to use and enjoy.

“I encourage people to have their say and help build our emerging designs which will in future inspire everyone to lead a more active lifestyle using the local facilities available to them.”

The consultation runs until Sunday 30th October 2022 and can be found at https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=166515887902, paper copies can be obtained by visiting the Geoff Moulder Leisure Complex or the council offices at Municipal Buildings, West Street, Boston PE21 8QR.

The gates to Boston Central Park will remain locked at night for another 12 months to help prevent crime, anti-social behaviour and noise nuisance.

Boston Borough Council has seen a continued decrease in calls to the Police since the locking of Central Park at night started in September 2021. At the same time, the number of call outs during daytime hours has also significantly fallen.

The total calls to Police have almost halved and the number in the evening – post 8pm have reduced by two thirds.

The figures show the average number of daytime calls has dropped along with night time calls from an average of 7.6 per month to 5.2 per month.

From September 6, 2020 to September 6, 2021 police dealt with 124 calls – 91 during the day and 33 at night.

From September 7, 2021 to July 18, 2022 when the park has been locked at night, there were 63 call outs from the police – 52 during the day and 11 within closure hours (four of which were May Fair related when the park was open longer).

Boston Town Area Committee has agreed to extend the night-time closure for another 12 months following a review.

Cllr Paul Skinner, Leader of Boston Borough Council said: “Central Park is a fantastic asset in the heart of Boston town centre and it continues to be a place people can go to enjoy quality time with family and friends.

“By locking the gates at night has seen incidents of anti-social behaviour and crime fall – which has also impacted the number of incidents during the day.

“Residents who live near the park should feel safe in the knowledge they won’t be disturbed at night time as the park will remain locked in the evenings for the next year.”

Cllr Paul Goodale, Chairman of the Boston Town Area Committee, said: “These figures are very reassuring and shows locking the park at night is helping to reduce incidents at the park at night as well as incidents, in general, falling in the day.

“We want everyone to be able to enjoy the park and for those living in that area of the town to feel safe in their own homes.

“The decision to keep the park locked at night will give that reassurance to our residents and we will continue to monitor the figures going forward.

The opening hours for Boston Central Park are:

Summer June 22-October 30, 2022 – 5.30am-10pm.

Autumn/Winter October 31-March 26, 2023 – 5.30am-6pm.

Spring/Summer 27 March, 2023-29 October 2023 – 5.30am-10pm.

Please note times may change dependent on organised activities running in the park.