Within the four wards of Illingworth and Mixenden, Northowram and Shelf, and Ovenden and Warley, we have some fantastic parks and open spaces for the community to enjoy.
Ogden Water Country Park is an area of outstanding beauty with stunning lakeside views, verdant landscape, ambling trails, it is very popular with dog owners, walkers and families having picnics. Very easy to get to follow the A629 from Halifax until you reach the Causeway Foot public house, where you turn left onto Ogden Lane, follow this road to the end where there is plenty of free parking.
Roils Head Moor is a great open green space lying between the estates of Norton Tower and Pellon another popular area with dog owners and walkers. The moor boasts a great many species of birds, animals, plants and trees an excellent area for educational sessions with junior school aged children. There is a friend’s of Roils head group who meet regularly to discuss issues and ideas for the park, who work closely with Calderdale council and the police in the maintenance and protection of the park. Coming up in August are 2 events on the moor a Creations Children Centre family picnic and a kite making/flying event.
Shibden Park is one of West Yorkshires most important heritage sites and Calderdale’s flagship park, it provides visitors with a range of activities including boating on the mere, children’s play areas, riding on the mini railway, picturesque walks, a visit to the Shibden Hall home to Anne lister made famous by the gentleman Jack TV series. To find out more and what events are coming up in the park check out Shibden Park through the council’s website. The park has a strong and very active friends of group who work hard helping to maintain the park, raising funds for various park projects which recently involved the restoration of the clock in the hall building. Over the years the friends of group have successfully secured Northowram and Shelf ward forum grants that have helped in maintenance work in the park including the restoration of the clock, repairs to the mini railway and the children’s play area. The mereside café is an excellent place for refreshments with an extensive menu for all tastes.
West View Park is another superb park which is on the border of Warley and Park wards again popular with dog owners and walkers, but during the summer months attracts many families from both ward areas taking full advantage of the open space and facilities there. The park is built on a disused quarry that was owned by local mill owners Henry McCrea and Enoch Robinson who donated it to the town, the park was opened in 1897. The park has spectacular far reaching views to the pennine hills, there is a memorial to the 73 soldiers who died in the boer wars, there are only 2 such memorials in the World the other Australia. Up to a couple of years ago the park had a very good friends of group who helped to keep the park clean and tidy, raise funds for events and clean ups but unfortunately due to its members moving from the area and no interest from the local community to carry on the group it had to fold. There is a park walkabout at 10am Wednesday 2nd August meeting at the front entrance on Warley Road open to anyone who might be interested in shaping the future of the park?
Shelf Hall Park is a brilliant park just off Halifax Road in Shelf it boasts some great walks through its woodlands, it is an area very popular with dog owners, walkers and families who attend and enjoy this great open space and the children’s play areas within the park. The park is the venue to the annual Shelf Gala which attracts thousands of local people to this important social celebration. There is a very active friends of Shelf Hall Park who are working hard to improve and maintain the park through their regular clean-ups, there is a Himalayan Balsan pulling event in the park at 10am Saturday 29th July meeting in the bridle Stile car park, if your up for a bit of exercise please do attend and help with removing these weeds. The park has a pavilion, bowls green and tennis courts that are in need of developing the friends of group are working hard to do this to ensure the community has access to quality facilities. We certainly have some of the best parks in our ward areas that are indeed essential community resources and important to the health and well being of our residents. We have some keen and committed residents who give up their time to work with other partners in keeping their parks clean, tidy and safe for the community. Interested in volunteering in one of the above park areas then please contact Tony King Ward Coordinator on 01422 252029 or email tony.king@calderdale.gov.uk Future events in parks and meetings of the friends of parks group are advertised through the North Halifax Partnership Friday Flyer.