East Park, Wolverhampton

{{distinguish|East Park (ward)}}

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File:East Park View - geograph.org.uk - 914811.jpg

East Park is a public park in Wolverhampton, England.{{cite web|last=O'Brian|first=Dawn|title=East Park|url=http://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/leisure_culture/parks_green_spaces/parks/eastpark/east_park.htm|work=Wolverhampton.Gov.UK|accessdate=2 April 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702082316/http://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/leisure_culture/parks_green_spaces/parks/eastpark/east_park.htm|archivedate=2 July 2012|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|last=Whitehouse|first=Sue|title=The Building of our Parks|url=http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/Parks/Parks.htm|accessdate=2 April 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809201919/http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/Parks/Parks.htm|archivedate=9 August 2009|df=dmy-all}} Situated off Hickman Avenue, near Monmore Green stadium, the park has good transport links to the city centre.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

Work began on the original design "Utile Dolci" by Thomas Mawson on 18 hectares of land donated by the Duke of Sutherland, Sir Alfred Hickman, and Mr Arther Sparrow in 1892, with the park opening for business on 21 September 1896.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

The original design included a boating lake; however this was beset with problems as old coal mines that were previously there began to drain the water from the lake.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}} Despite great efforts to save the lake, it was grassed over in 1922 and is now part of a children's playground and all weather sports pitch. This has since been turned into a car park in 2013.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

The park includes The Lysaght Memorial Clock Tower, however this has been out of order for over 30 years although rumors continue to circulate that funding will become available to refurbish this in the near future (Work started in 2013), and a small band stand originally funded by the proceeds of a floral fete. Although presently (2012) repairable according to The Scottish Ironwork Database (https://web.archive.org/web/20120512104228/http://www.scottishironwork.org/catdetail.asp?ironid=25956) the bandstand is currently considered to be "at risk" having suffered years of neglect and vandalism. Pensioners often gather at the Memorial Clock Tower for sandwich club.

Current{{when|date=October 2014}} facilities include football pitches, tennis courts, children's playgrounds, cycle speedway, fitness and exercise equipment alongside gardens, walkways and flower beds.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}. The [https://freeparks.co.uk/park/east-park-wolverhampton/ playground] underwent a £630,000 complete renovation in 2023, adding a new splash park and play equipment.

Once a year, the Wolvestock4life festival takes place.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}} It has been hosted by East park for over ten years and annually brings in over 4,000 people. The festival, now{{when|date=October 2014}} in its 14th year, is the largest free-to-enter festival in the United Kingdom.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}} It has no longer free since 2013.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

A Lottery grant of £981,000 was granted in December 2011 to stabilize the aforementioned coal mines and refurbish the park's facilities, including the clock tower.{{cite news|title=East Park Wolverhampton given £981,000 lottery grant|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-16235841|accessdate=2 April 2012|newspaper=BBC News|date=18 December 2011}}