Hull Road Park

Hull Road Park
A wide path on the left of the image, with a beck on the middle and right, upon which several ducks are swimming towards the camera
Osbaldwick Beck, Hull Road Park
Map
LocationTang Hall, York, England
OS gridSE622515
Coordinates53°57′18″N 1°03′22″W / 53.955°N 1.056°W / 53.955; -1.056
Area25 acres (10 ha)
Created1927
WaterOsbaldwick Beck
Public transit accessAlcuin Avenue bus stop[1]

Hull Road Park is a 25-acre (10 ha) open-space park in the suburb of Tang Hall, York, in Northern England. The park is bordered on its southern edge by Osbaldwick Beck, which has become a home for the endangered water vole. The City of York Council withdrew support for the park in 2011, and it is maintained and cleaned by a network of volunteers working for several different societies.

History

The park was opened in 1927 in the Tang Hall area of York, and is bordered by housing to the north, Tang Hall Lane to the east, Melrosegate to the west, and Osbaldwick Beck to the south.[2][3] The beck, which flows from east to west (and feeds into the River Foss) has been canalised during the park's history and has several weirs.[4]

After a seven-year remedial work programme on Osbaldwick Beck and its banks, it was confirmed in August 2024 that the red-list endangered water vole, had taken up residence on the beck through the park.[5] Students from University of York helped in this effort by creating a bog garden along the banks of the beck in 2023.[6] The course of the beck is prone to floods, which can overwhelm the roads on the western side of the park.[7] In 2017, the city council provided £60,000 for a re-naturalisation scheme to help alleviate flooding.[8] The area has been affected by flooding from Osbaldwick Beck and Tang hall Beck in 1947, 1982, 2000 and the Boxing Day floods of 2015.[9]

Budgetary restraints in 2011 led to the City of York Council withdrawing attendants from the park, and flowerbeds being converted to public open spaces in an effort to save money.[10] Several local volunteer groups now maintain parts of the park with access to council funding.[11]

Facilities and transport

The park covers an area of 25 acres (10 ha) and has basketball courts, tennis courts, a playpark, and large areas of semi-natural woodland.[4][12] The park also used to have formal gardens and a bowling green, with a resident bowling team.[13][14]

The No. 6 bus between Clifton Moor and Heslington calls at a stop opposite the park every twenty minutes during the day.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Tang Hall, opposite Hull Road Park – Bus Times". bustimes.org. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Thriving people and thriving communities: Hull Road Park, York". tcv.org.uk. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Hull Road Park – Parks and open spaces directory". york.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b Wragg, Steve (3 July 2017). "Osbaldwick Beck Channel Improvements" (PDF). democracy.york.gov.uk. p. 1. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Endangered water voles make home in York city park". BBC News. 21 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  6. ^ "University supports ambitious project to transform local wetlands". University of York. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Annex 3 – Flood Mapping (December 2015 Flood Outline)" (PDF). democracy.york.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  8. ^ "York Flood Scheme Environment Agency Briefing July 2017" (PDF). democracy.york.gov.uk. July 2017. p. 2. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  9. ^ Laycock, Mike (26 December 2019). "Plan to create new stream in York nature reserve to defend 263 homes from flooding". York Press. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Services for the vulnerable and young set to suffer badly". The Yorkshire Post. 7 March 2011. p. 7. ISSN 0963-1496.
  11. ^ "Volunteers sought to help run cash-strapped council's parks". infoweb.newsbank.com. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Hull Road Park play cash welcomed". infoweb.newsbank.com. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  13. ^ Lewis, Stephen (26 August 2000). "Park and pride". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  14. ^ Laversuch, Chloe (5 April 2018). "Century-old York club could become houses". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  15. ^ "6 – Clifton Moor Tesco – Heslington East". bustimes.org. Retrieved 22 August 2024.