Botley Park
West Oxford Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Botley Park is a public park in West Oxford, England. Located off Botley Road, it features a bowls club, tennis courts and a children's playground. The park also provides access to the Tumbling Bay bathing area.
| Botley Park | |
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 Interactive map of Botley Park | |
| Nearest city | Oxford, England |
| OS grid | SP 500 064 |
| Coordinates | 51°45′14″N 1°16′35″W |
| Area | c. 4.7 ha |
| Opened | 1922 |
| Owned by | Oxford City Council |
| Website | www |
Overview
The park is located off Botley Road, behind the West Oxford Community Centre.[1] It was established in 1922 by the Oxford City Council to provide a leisure and recreation area for the burgeoning population in the western area of Oxford. It covers c. 4.7 hectares and comprises low-lying land, including playing fields, that is known to flood.[2][3][4]
The north-western side of the park is known as Kingfisher Corner, an area of shrubs and small trees that is used for wildlife spotting.[2] The Tumbling Bay outdoors bathing area, established in 1853 but not in operation since 1990, is a swimming spot fed by the River Thames. Located adjacently to the north-east, the only available access is via Botley Park.[5][6]
Facilities
The West Oxford Bowls Club (WOBC), established in 1924, is located in Botley Park. It features six rinks.[7] In 2024, the centenary celebrations of the club were negatively affected due to significant flooding.[3]
The park features public tennis courts. In 2023 the Lawn Tennis Association funded an upgrade to the courts, including resurfacing and a new access arrangement, to increase engagement with the sport.[8]
Located in the park environs is the West Oxford Community Centre, run by local charity the West Oxford Community Association (WOCA), which features a cafe.[9][10][11] Other facilities include a children's playground, table tennis, and a multi sports games area.[9]
Events
The park is used as a venue for events. These include hosting the Oxford Thai Festival, held in 2019, Oxford Festival of Nature in 2013, and the annual West Oxford Fun Day.[1][12][13] The park is one of the venues for the annual Oxford Christmas Light Festival.[14]
