Parks & Open Spaces

When Yardley Rural District joined Greater Birmingham in 1912 it possessed only one park, that at Sparkhill behind the Council House, opened eight years earlier. Six other pieces of pasture, given by the Yardley Charity Trust, awaited development. Two of these were on the periphery of the Association's area, beside Reddings Lane and at Fox Green (Westley Road). Except perhaps in Sparkhill/Greet there was little need for public open space, as no Yardleians lived more than half a mile from 'the country'. The Cole valley was still green except at Greet/Hay Mills : townees alighted from the electric tramcar at 'The Mermaid' or Knowle Road terminus to walk beside the river looking for trout or climb Greetmill Hill to the Nine Stiles Walk.

District Councillors feared that without positive action the Cole would go the way of the Rea, hemmed in by buildings and fouled by industry. They proposed in 1909 that the valley should be preserved as a rural ribbon, a corridor of movement for wild life, with a footpath from end to end of its length in Yardley, some nine miles. This proposal became part of the South Birmingham Development Scheme of 1918-24. Its completion is still awaited, but the parts already open are a continuing delight.

Few Association areas can have so pleasant a boundary feature as The Dingle, opened in 1925. It attracts birds into the City : swans, geese, mallard, and seagulls are always to be seen. It has been a strong influence in childhood on such diverse authors as J. R. Tolkein and Vivian Bird. Many have happy memories of adventures beside and even in the river. One may walk now from Slade Lane to Stratford Road with one short but regretted detour around Colebank Playing Field, a green ramble of two miles. En route is that fine lake of 7.5 acres, Trittiford Mill Pool, bought from the Taylor Estate and opened in 1923.

Sarehole Mill site and meadow were left to the City by A. H. Foster, who had bought them from the Taylors, squires of Yardley. They were opened in 1969 and now the last stretch downstream of Green Road Ford (given by Charles Hougham in 1913) has been completed.

Our area has no central park, indeed it is the largest built-up district of the city without one. But in addition to the valley and Fox Hollies Park (1932) on the borders, there is, or was until recently - more non-public open space hereabout than anywhere else. Sports grounds, tennis clubs. nurseries, allotments - and waste land - occupied many large plots between suburban roads. Dual carriageway reservations, grass verges, roadside trees and planted islands continuously create a Garden City effect in accordance with the Plan.

Though much of the land has not been accessible or even visible, one regrets the diminution as more and more development is packed in behind and between the 'tween-wars streets. Only Curtiss Gardens at the northern boundary and the new adventure playground by the railway bank (another Foster bequest) have been welcome additions since the last war.