Central Park

Opening Times 

The park is open 24 hours and free to use.

The Meadow Cafe is open 7 days a week 8am to 6pm. *The Winter opening times are 10am - 3pm*

Access & Seating

A network of wide, multiuse, tarmac paths link all areas of the park, suitable for wheelchairs and prams with seating throughout.

Play equipment is available for children of all ages and abilities. 

Toilets

Free public toilets at The Meadow Cafe by the clock tower, available during cafe opening hours. 

Travel and directions

Around one mile from the city centre and Plymouth railway station. 

Public transport: Citybus route numbers 16, 46 and 50 from the city centre, park and ride stops at Central Park

Parking available at Milehouse Park and Ride

Central Park Ponds Project - a sustainable drainage systems solution

Central Park Ponds Project aims to transform water from a problem into a resource. We will re-landscape an area of the park to provide a nature based solution using a sustainable drainage system to manage surface water flooding and provide a space for wildlife and people.

Want to find out more, visis the project page:

Central Park Ponds Project

Working with the community

We work closely with the community and partners on Central Park to deliver events and opportunities for participation. Events delivered include: 

• 300+ hours of free nature based events, including practical conservation, education and fun days (since 2017)
• Skate park opening jam
• Free sports activities
• Play area opening event
• Dog show
• Love Parks events
• Community consultation events

Fundraising with the community

Green man sculpture

We support community groups to develop and deliver projects, and by providing match funding. Some examples of projects:

Oral history project - Friends of Central Park Plymouth & FotoNow: Creating a timeline, website and interpretation panels, based on stories from the community and historical research. Part funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.  Take a look at the new website and the project

Family Tree Field classroom seating area – Plymouth Tree Partnership: Created the new central seating area in the field. Part funded by the Postcode Lottery. Take a look at the project

Sculptures in the wooded valley – Friends of Central Park Plymouth: Creation of sculptures and sculpted benches in the woods. Part funded by the Tesco Community Grant Scheme.

In 2017, the Council committed £9m over the next four years to improving Central Park so that it fulfils its potential as one of Plymouth's premier destinations.

We aim to develop the park's primary function, as originally conceived in 1928, as a park devoted to the improvement of the health of Plymouth people by active sport, recreation and leisure activities. Our basis for improvements is the Masterplan created through consultation in 2013.

What have we done so far?

• Extended the skate park
• Repaired and resurfaced 1800 metres of path through Pounds Park, Venn Lane and the wider park
• Extended and improved the play area
• Completed the Sports Plateau and new junior football pitch
• Built the new grassed roof Meadow Cafe 
• Refurbished the Bowling Pavilion to create a new Community Sports Hub - due for opening March 2021, part funded by Football Foundation
• Installed 4 new tennis courts 
• Improved entrances, boundaries, trees and allotments
• Repaired park heritage such as Devon Banks and the Ford Park entrance pillars
• Initiated a new volunteer programme
• Brought in more funding to support the improvements

Coming Up

The Council will continue the improvements with support from funding secured from Green Minds and Transforming Cities Fund. This includes;

• New ponds and wetlands to create sustainable urban drainage at Barn Park
• Continue to resurface paths and the wooded valley. Green Links Map
• Continue with heritage, access and landscape improvements
• Improve the treescape for the future
• New physical and digital interpretation

There is a dedicated friends group who help to look after Central Park for the future. The Friends of Central Park are always looking for new members to help them on thier mission to keep Central Park speical for everyone. Why not go along to a meeting to find out more about what they do. 

Friends of Central Park group organise and take part in range of activities throughout the year supporting us to look after the park.  Check out their Facebook page to find out more about what they are up to.

Want more information on the Friends of Central Park and all the other friends groups in the city, check it all out on the Friends of Parks Groups webpages