Coventry's Parks (other than War Memorial Park)

Hi all, Antics is near to the birdcage in Shelton Square. Thank you Dutchman. A nice team of staff in there nowadays.

My mother used to tell me that she met my father who was a pupil at Bablake School. Apparently Bablake grounds backed on to the park and the local girls (she amongst them) used to chat up the boys on the other side - to great effect, obviously.

Lottery cash bid to revamp historic garden

Hi Midland Red, in the 1970s I worked at Allesley Park for the city council, just to let everyone know I designed that crazy golf course as well as the main golf course, i'm sad to hear that they have moved it to where the paddling pool was, I also tended the walled garden that was my little baby. I have fond memories of that place. I also planted quite a few trees while I worked there but soon after I moved on to other parks within the city but I can safely say that working at Allesley Park was the best place I have worked, FOND MEMORIES.

To get away from my own territory of Westwood Parish this morning my friend and I escaped across the border to Allesley and, in particular, Allesley Park's walled garden. Post copied from topic Coventry out and about on 23rd Jun 2016 5:45 pm

Hi Paul - the crazy golf is still in the same spot though a new design to the original. What I meant was the original spot for the playground has moved. That is now on the field below the crazy golf course. The original playground location has been turned in to a 'Wild Flower meadow', which I read as a spot they don't mow anymore. I used to run amok in the Walled garden when I was young so apols - it was probably me who pulled up all the carrots

Some really nice pictures there pixrobin. I love the contrast of the red wall with that lush greenery.

I have asked lots of questions and everybody has been very helpful. Sharing a photo of my granny in Spencer Park, well that's what it says on the back! The trouble is there are also some of her in Queens Park Glasgow, where she also lived.

Slightly off-topic but I have the pleasure of dropping my lads off for Bablake most mornings nowadays and as the traffic is fairly chaotic on the school run I tend to drop them in Middleborough Road just up from the park. That whole area down Middleborough past Mill Street and back on towards Hill Street has a special feeling about it on a blue-sky morning. I know the park has become somewhat run-down and there's often some not-so welcome sights stumbling through there but there's some lovely big old houses in that part and you get a real sense of old Coventry - given it used to be a fairly major route in to town pre-ring road. I always think that part around Abbots Lane is such a waste - nothing seems to have ever been done to it!

Hey you Coventry residents do you not think it is about time this facility was upgraded, it is sad to see it in such a sorry state, ok ratepayers are always being asked to pay more but come on. Cannot someone get a lotteries grant to fix it up? How about the Coventry Model Boat club instead of reporting Naul's Mill Pool is not available as it is "Awaiting refilling by Coventry City Council" getting the council to do something. I live in New Zealand's largest city Auckland and we would love what you have, leaving it in disrepair is very very sad! And of course it goes without saying I used to play there 60 years ago. But the facility is still as valid today as it ever was. Or has the council gone all PC in case kids fall in, well I did a number of times as did many others.

I believe Naul's Mill Park has been tidied up and once again has water in it. Has anyone been to have a look? Pictures ?

Hi Annewiggy, The pond has had water in for about two weeks. I think it is quite shallow as it is ~2 feet below the rim. Perhaps it will fill more when we get some rain. I don't know what the plans are of the pond. I'll try and check the notice board next time I pass that way. Peter.

Here is the lake with water. The park notice board says the Friends of Naul's Mill Park are working with the Council to get them to repair and refill the lake. It looks like they have succeeded. Peter.

Who remembers the very early 70s when some bright spark in the Parks Department thought it would be a good way to save money if the grass in the parks and school playing fields across the city was not cut for the whole summer. Presumably it was the same person who put the grass out to tender (!) so that farmers could bid to cut the grass for silage / hay. The results of both ideas back fired spectacularly. The grass on the football pitches when cut in the autumn ready for the imminent season to kick off, left an almost total bald playing area. Because the goal mouths had not been reseeded, the area in front of goal soon became almost unplayable when the rains started in October. The farmers who tendered were not happy because having cut the grass, they found much of it unusable because of dog fouling and litter. The cut grass was left to dry for hay, but unfortunately, it also made excellent burning material for the local yobs! The farmers demanded a refund and threats from the council were soon quietly dropped.