Central Park, Peterborough

...for 37 years, and the Central Park has always been the place to take your children, photos of the park go back to Victorian times and the actual layout has not changed since then. For one it cannot get any bigger as it is in the older central part of the city with buildings all around, though this does not distract from the Park itself.

The Park is one large circle with a very wide road around the outside. There are four gates, entry ...
...inner footpath that goes around the Park. The four gates all have footpaths that lead to the centre which is a large flower bed that has a willow tree, this my husband tells me was planted some time in the 60's as there used to be a band stand on the same spot. It seems that the demise of the band caused the band stand to be vandalised or just left and became unsafe so the tree was planted in its place. The willow is a magnificent tree and the children ... more

I have lived in Peterborough for 37 years, and the Central Park has always been the place to take your children, photos of the park go back to Victorian times and the actual layout has not changed since then. For one it cannot get any bigger as it is in the older central part of the city with buildings all around, though this does not distract from the Park itself.

The Park is one large circle with a very wide road around the outside. There are four gates, entry points to the Park and about ten yards in an inner footpath that goes around the Park. The four gates all have footpaths that lead to the centre which is a large flower bed that has a willow tree, this my husband tells me was planted some time in the 60's as there used to be a band stand on the same spot. It seems that the demise of the band caused the band stand to be vandalised or just left and became unsafe so the tree was planted in its place. The willow is a magnificent tree and the children love to run under it through the years and still do.

Each of the four sections has been planted, developed for different uses, ages and senses.

The first and most used is the children's play area, safe fenced off from dogs and very bright. In this area there is the play equipment for the children to climb on, slide down, jump off, run through, sit on, swing on and seats and tables for you to sit at, or just sit to watch and get worn out in the process.
In the same area is a very good pitch and putt course.
There is also a paddling pool…………which is very much used all throughout the summer months and adjacent to this is a very large sand pit. You can imagine the mixer of the two, sand and water with children, what delights they have.
Next door to the pool is the toilets, which are clean and functional.

The second area has the Butter Cross Tea Room. I have written a separate review on this.
As well as the tea room there is also the Park Ranger's office, the bowling greens, tennis courts just grass, an aviary and the potting sheds for the gardeners.

The third section has the tennis courts, with the all weather surface and a large green area for the use of playing football etc. I think I love this area the most, only because Peterborough is a multi racial city, and to walk round on a Sunday and see every nationality, race and colour there playing football, shouting in whatever language they speak, to each other to "Pass the ball" just makes me feel that the world is not all bad. It would put the United Nations to shame to see how everyone gets on with the mutual game of football.

The fourth and final area has a sunken garden, which has been grown and developed for people with Sensory Loss. These gardens are full of sweet smelling roses, lavenders, plus lots of other flowers with strong smelling perfume, with a gravel path. It is a delight to walk through. Over the past few years they have also placed in here the plaques that commemorate the fallen soldiers with the emblems of their regiments, very poignant. I have addedd a few photos of the plaques that have been placed there to remember the fallen.

The one thing I must not forget that is in the Park is the grave of "Jimmy the Donkey." He was buried here many years ago and was one of the donkeys used in the 1st World War. After the war he was found a home in Peterborough where he lived and died and was buried in the Park.

The Park is just a great place to go any day of the week, any week of the year be it rain or shine. It's a good walk after Christmas lunch to see the children with their new bikes, skates, prams and anything else that they want to take outside. The Park is also an asset to Peterborough City Council, and long may it remain that way.

There is no charge to go to the Park, so long may it stay a place for families and friends to go and enjoy.

If you travel to or visit Peterborough, the park is on Park Road, and is accessable via the Citi 2 bus which stops at The Park. 

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