A cherished oasis in a busy town

By Mary Mckay, volunteer community reporter

An idyllic green space in the heart of an ever-growing urban sprawl, a sanctuary from the noise and fumes of modern life. As one park user describes it, 'an absolute gem': this is Hampden Park.

Centred on a lake, the park extends to include spreading woodland areas, well-kept flower beds, a cafe, play park, and extensive sports facilities, as well as parking, which makes it accessible for the less mobile.  

When I visited on an autumn afternoon, the park was busy with visitors of all ages. People were happy to chat and were full of praise for the park. Everyone had their own take on why the park was special to them.

Shirley, 91, visiting in a wheelchair, told me that she came for the “straightforward, natural beauty”. Chris, reading quietly, told me she came to “escape the noise” of Eastbourne, while a mum with her two young boys told me they visited for the ice-cream and skate park. When I asked one of the boys what the park meant to him, the answer was a shout: “Fun!”

The park is a favourite dog-walking venue and one dog owner described it as a “wonderful, safe place to walk”. But of course dogs are not the only animals you may encounter. 

Both adults and children love feeding the birds: magnificent swans with a whole brood of cygnets this year, the beautiful and unusual Egyptian geese, and the flocks of white doves that congregate under the huge London plane tree. 

Thanks to the ancient woodland in the park - including a massive oak estimated to be about 500 years old - unusual birds and insects thrive, making the park a magnet for wildlife photographers.

Other unusual trees such as the magnificent redwood and a group of rare Caucasian wingnut trees were planted more than 100 years ago when the land was owned by Lord Willingdon. Then the lake used as a decoy pond to lure in waterfowl to be shot for food - a very different scenario from today's wildlife friendly-park!

Since buying the park from Lord Willingdon in 1902, Eastbourne Borough Council (originally Eastbourne Corporation) has been responsible for the care and maintenance of the area, but local authority resources are increasingly stretched.

So it's all the more surprising that visitors I spoke to remarked on how clean and well maintained the park was. This is in great part due to a dedicated group of volunteers - the Friends Hampden Park.

A small team of garden volunteers work twice a week taking care of the floral areas of the park. This year, they have cleared and replanted the overgrown sensory garden. In addition, they organise activities such as fun days and Easter egg hunts that enhance people's enjoyment of the park and draw people who might not otherwise visit. 

Everyone I spoke to, visitor and volunteer, was passionate about the park. “They're not going to close it, are they?” one alarmed visitor asked me.

In times when many resources are being lost or cut back, when everything has a price tag, what price can you put on this little bit of heaven which is open to all? And what do people think of the park? Chris summed up the feelings of everyone I spoke to: “An absolute gem”. 

:: Mary Mckay is an English teacher and creative writer. She has lived in Eastbourne for 14 years and is passionate about the beautiful green spaces, heritage and history of the town.