On a pleasant 2 hour stroll through much of Alexandra Park today, taking in the cricket ground, the deer enclosure and then to our surprise the beautifully improved boat lake, cafe and children's play area, complete with skateboard zone and graffiti wall, I've come to the conclusion this park easily rivals Finsbury Park to the south.
They have done a fantastic job of presenting an inviting area at the back of Ally Pally with the boat lake improvements (no smelly bird bank here), a beautifully refurbished Victorian building housing the cafe, which serves up excellent milkshakes, cappucinos and the like, complete with very nice landscaping.
We passed around to the front of the palace (which as we all know desperately needs care and attention), the kids enjoyed using the 50p for 2mins telescope which shows up incredible detail right into 'the city'. We then dropped down into the park with its bright newly planted flower beds and freshly mown grass, where a young Dalmatian was hurtling around and grabbing all the attention (I want one!).
Then headed back into the fields below where the race course used to be and a helipad now is. It's a strange empty space around these parts. Could do with a couple of football pitches and an area for much in demand allotments .... or something at least.
But all in all a pleasant afternoon with a few nice surprises. Investment in our largest park and in our grandest building must increase. Ally Pally and its park have the potential to be our true 'heartlands'.
Tags for Forum Posts: alexandra park, ally pally, parks
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