It is an artificial island between the Sankey Canal and the estuary of the River Mersey containing parkland, woodland, wetlands and footpaths.

By the 1970s no working chemical factories remained, and from 1975 onwards the island was cleaned up and turned over to public recreation.

A famous concert by the rock band the Stone Roses, subsequently the subject of an eponymous film (2012), took place on the island in May 1990.

[1] The canal passes from the West Bank Locks on Spike Island to Warrington and then into St. Helens town centre.

[2] Uniquely the dock allowed goods, such as coal, to be taken off a train and deposited directly into a boat for transport along the River Mersey to other parts of the UK and abroad.

Goods and raw materials could also be brought in by boat and deposited directly onto a train for onward travel to local factories.

Consequently Widnes dock was accessed by Mersey flat boats which could transport goods downstream to the Port of Liverpool or along the canal network.

[4] The dock could hold up to 40 vessels, and have a single Mersey flat loaded with 70 tons of coal from a railway wagon, and en route to Liverpool in 40 minutes.

[8] There are footpaths, canal walks, cycle paths, woodland, wetlands, views of the River Mersey, views of the Mersey Gateway Bridge, birdlife, fishing, industrial heritage, picnic tables, car parking, a multi-purpose sports pitch, a children's play area and the Trans Pennine Trail passes through the parkland.

[10] Spike Island was the site of a famous outdoor concert by the rock band the Stone Roses in May 1990.

[11] The support acts included DJs Dave Haslam, Paul Oakenfold and Frankie Bones, a Zimbabwean drum orchestra and the reggae artist Gary Clail.

[12] The NME wrote "Spike Island was to be the Roses' defining statement, a celebration of not only their own success, but of an entire youth culture" and also "It was a real moment in time; the beginning of a long hot summer that saw England nearly go all the way in the World Cup, the peak of a period when Manchester and the north-west felt like the centre of the universe.

[14] Emma Dibdin of Digital Spy wrote that within its limited remit it is an affable watch, but the "domestic drama our heroes are running from never resonates".

[18] The music festival took place on 24 July 2021; it was called "Spike Island: The Resurrection" and was headlined by the Clone Roses, with other 1990s tribute bands such as Oas-is, Happy Mondaze and True Order also featuring.