Parks and playgrounds directory

Location

West Croydon, Whitehorse Road, Boulogne Road.

Area

4 1/2 acres 1.82 hectares.

Facilities

• Ornamental garden
• Field

History

Whitehorse Road Recreation Ground was acquired by the Council in 1891 as an informal play area for local children.  Although the area was not large enough for any organised games it was well used for informal games by the children who lived in the otherwise congested neighbourhood.  

An enclosed rest garden was built for the elderly people to use and also a shelter.  Berwick‐Sayers described the garden in 1938 "It has a shelter for old folk, where they can sit in pleasant surroundings and play cribbage and other games.  A fire is provided for them in the winter months."  

The original estimate for lay out the grounds list as the first operation "Raising level of ground....£400" and adds as a footnote from the Borough Road Surveyor "I propose to raise it as much as possible within a reasonable time by carting the dust and ashes, as well as the road scrapings, on to it, commencing at the southern end of the ground, and pushing forward to the north as fast as materials come to hand."  

During the Second World War the main part of the field was used for ARP Shelters.