ONE of Dumbarton’s most popular parks has received a prestigious award for the third year in a row.

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has announced that Levengrove Park has been presented with a Green Flag Award.

The accolade acknowledges quality green open spaces across the country that help to boost Scotland’s health and wellbeing.

It comes after £3.7million was invested in the restoration of the park’s Victorian features, including St Serf’s Church and the Kilmahew Fountain.

The works also included a new pavilion building with café which is run as a social enterprise by West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s Work Connect service.

A new training suite offers places for some of West Dunbartonshire’s most vulnerable residents, including those with mental health issues, people recovering from addictions and those with learning disabilities.

Councillor Iain McLaren, convener of infrastructure, regeneration and economic development, said: “We are delighted to have been given this international honour and it is testament to the hard work our greenspace staff undertake to ensure it is a pleasant and welcoming space for residents all year round.”

Barry Fisher, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “I would like to congratulate all of Scotland’s award-winning parks.

“Receiving this prestigious international benchmark recognises all the hard work that has gone into maintaining and managing these precious green open spaces.

“Every single one of these parks provides an invaluable service to the local communities that it serves - from creating a safe space to play, to think, to work out – and they helped to address many of the health and wellbeing challenges we faced as a country during lockdown.

“Spending time in nature can be good for people’s health and wellbeing, and merely living in a greener neighbourhood can be good for health.

“The Green Flag Award recognises the valuable, and tangible contribution that these parks make towards the nation’s well-being.”