Melbourne Park (Nottingham)

Melbourne Park is a large public space in Aspley, Nottingham, England. The Aspley area of the city was developed quite rapidly.

History

In 1915 the area was fields and scattered housing. By 1930 the area had either been developed for housing uses or land had been set aside for those purposes.

By 1936 the site of the park was one of the few parcels of land remaining undeveloped or not earmarked for housing or other uses. The Corporation of Nottingham Housing Department obtained funding from the Department of Health to lay out the majority of the present park as a public recreation ground. The portion of the present park around the Aspley Boys Club was developed by Nottingham City Transport as their recreation ground. Until c.1950 this section was distinct from the remainder of the park.

In 1989 Nottinghamshire County Council proposed plans to develop the park as the new site for William Crane School (now closed). This proposal was resisted and formally prevented by a motion of the Nottingham City Council in September 1990.

The park itself is approximately 500 metres by 600 metres. In addition to public greenspace, the site contains a number of football pitches which are used for Sunday league football matches.

The park contains a variety of trees, including lombardy poplars around the playing area, a row of black poplars and a variety of large trees going around the perimeter.