Alexandra Park, Poole

Alexandra Park is a small public open space set within the densely urbanised area of Parkstone in Poole, on the south coast of England. Its bowling green and pavilion is home to Alexandra Park Lawn Bowls Club, established in the 1920s. The park is essentially Edwardian in concept, but evolved over a period of more than 30 years as what was once open farmland was transformed into a new residential neighbourhood. It is apparent that the space was set aside for recreation due to its steeply undulating topography, which would have been unsuitable for housing development.HistoryThe history of the park is adapted from a document prepared in 1995 by Paul Hillman, local historian and Landscape Architect for Borough of Poole from 1989 to 2008.1831–1905Virtually all the land constituting the park is part of the "Upper Parkstone Estate" – a significant area vested in the local authority by the Great Canford Award of 1831. The earliest indication that a plot of land amounting to 6 acres 2 rods and 35 poles (approximately 25,000 square metres or 2.5 hectares) was to be set aside as a public open space was in plans presented to the Council on 10 January 1885. The plans came about as a result of an invitation to a number of local architects for proposals laying out the Upper Parkstone Estate. Three plans were submitted, entitled: Au bon droit (which translates literally as "with good right" - right in the sense of a legal title, claim or due) Quod petis hic est ("whatever you seek is here") Spero ("hope") Spero was selected and its architect awarded the sum of £25 0s 0d. "Spero 2006" can today be seen engraved at the top of the entrance pillars which were installed in 2009 to mark (a little later than originally planned) the park's centennial. The remaining two architects were awarded £7 7s 0d for their efforts.