Barnford Park
Sandwell, as an urban area, has connections to open countryside despite the sprawl of neighbouring boroughs and industrial areas, Oldbury as a town however has none, therefore it's parks represent the only open natural areas for enjoyment of play, relaxation and the environment, of Barnford Hill Park is a key resource being the town park for Oldbury.
About Barnford Park
It is situated on an elevated site surrounded by residential housing and overlooks the M5 Black Country corridor.
The park contains a range of features, constructed during the early 20th Century as a semi-formal urban park, with rose gardens, a bowling green and linear tree avenues. Some of the original features of the park have been lost.
Barnford Hill Park primarily comprises open areas of grass within a formal mature tree structure of linear avenues and small groups, there are however a number of unusual species of note. A programme of regeneration started in 2002 and this has led to substantial improvements to the park with over £1million of investment up to 2006.
Recent additions included a children’s play area aimed at the 8 to 14 age group, multi sports court and teen shelter
and cricket square, together with substantial improvements to the playing quality of the four main sports football pitches.
A new Community Pavilion has been opened in 2006 and a toddler play area is scheduled for opening later in 2006 Problems have been addressed through the establishment of Barnford Park Anti-social Behaviour Task Group, which led to the intervention of local police and community officers combined with ASBO’s being issued to identified individuals, this combined with future proposals for the Park are seen as a way forward in improving
Barnford Hill Park for both park users and surrounding residents.
Legislation which is applicable to Barnford Hill Park includes the ‘Dog Fouling of Land’ Act 1998 and ‘The Designated Public Place Order’ applies since 2004 and became enforceable in 2005.