South Norwood Recreation Ground

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South Norwood Recreation Ground is a little outside Addiscombe to the north but not so far away that it wouldn't be considered a local park. It has a children's play area, two basketball courts that are also marked out for netball, a tennis court that is again also marked out for netball, and a bowling green with pavilion. The bulk of the park is one grassed area that is marked out with football pitches or an athletics track and rounders pitches depending on the time of year.

Location

South Norwood Recreation Ground is in the area bordered by Tennison Road, Selhurst Road, Lawrence Road/Cargreen Road and the railway lines approaching Norwood Junction station.

The children's play area is tucked away in the south-east corner by the railway bridge and there is a gate to the park towards the bottom of the bridge that runs between this area and a terrace of housing. To the north there is a wider gated entrance from Cargreen Road. The formal entrance to the park is from Selhurst Road and then along a path which takes you past the bowling green and into the park proper, with the courts on the right.

History

The recreation ground was acquired by the council in 1889 and opened in 1860. The gate pillars on the Selhurst Road entrance were originally from the gates to Oliver Grove which was created as a private estate.

In 2007 the recreation ground was refurbished as part of a Barclays Spaces For Sports Flagship Project. A large part of the main field seems to have been dug up and reseeded and indeed is slightly above the level of the rest of the field. The courts have been refurbished and are now floodlit and a new path has been laid from near the Tennison Road gate to the courts. There is now a path all the way around the main field and this has been made into a 'fitness trail' with gym inspired equipment placed alongside it.

The children's play area was allegedly also refurbished in 2007 but this seems to have amounted to no more than a coat of paint to the play equipment. In 2008 half of it was then dug up for electricity works and as of November 2008 has still not been fully reinstated.

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