Community Facilities
The main library is at Halton Lea with a branch library in Egerton Street in the old town centre (which includes the archives of the Runcorn & District Historical Society). Runcorn has two locations offering One-Stop-Shop facilities; Halton Lea Direct Link is in Halton Lea and Runcorn Direct Link is in Church Street in the old town area. Runcorn Direct Link also includes a Tourist Information Centre.
Runcorn Hill Local Nature Reserve has been developed on the site of a quarry and consists of heathland. Adjacent to it is a park which includes a bandstand, a model boating lake, and sports facilities. Wigg Island is a nature reserve on a former industrial site. The reserve is on an island between the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey and consists of open spaces and woodland with bird hides and pathways. Murdishaw Valley is an area of ancient woodland to the east of the town between the Murdishaw housing development and the M56. Rock Park is on the site of a quarry in the old town area and includes sports facilities. Town Park is in the centre of the new town development and has a link to the north with Norton Priory. Open areas in Runcorn form part of Mersey Forest, one of Britain's community forests.
Runcorn's hospital is Halton General Hospital, which is administered by the Warrington & Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Originally planned as a District General Hospital, it was never large enough to provide a full range of services. Acute medical services have been transferred to Warrington Hospital and Halton General has become a centre for non-emergency surgery and rehabilitation. Although it never had its own accident and emergency department the hospital has a minor injuries unit for basic emergency care. Halton Haven Hospice is in the Murdishaw area of the town. Primary care services are provided by the Halton and St Helens Primary Care Trust. In Runcorn general practitioner services are provided in five health centres and in one separate medical practice in Heath Road. There are dental practices providing National Health Service and private dental care.
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