Ardwick Green Park

Since 2006, Ardwick Green has achieved a Green Flag Award, the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales and benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas.

Historically, Ardwick Green ranks among Manchester's senior parks, and has a strong case as Manchester's first public open space as it was a semi-public recreation ground - a fishing lake and promenade - before Queens and Philips Parks were opened in 1846. When this space was bought by Manchester City Council approximately 21 years later for £2,068, it was converted into the city's third public park.

The Green was initially managed as in the style of some London squares, whereby the public were able to enter the grounds by paying a quarterly subscription, and each subscriber received a key for the park gate. However in the 1890s, subscription fell off and the park fell into a state of neglect and near bankruptcy.

In the early 1900s, the park was regenerated to a high ornamental standard to considerable financial cost. The 1915 City Parks report describes the park as 'a green and refreshing oasis in the desert of houses - a few paths by the side of the grass plots, shrubs and flowerbeds, with a bandstand and a small pool at each end, all enclosed by rails.'

Ardwick Green houses the First World War Memorial commemorating those who died at Gallipoli.

Two other local parks - Gartside Gardens and Swinton Grove Park - have formally adopted Ardwick Green, and hope to inspire local residents to join and help form a dedicated Friends of Ardwick Green. (If interested in helping forming a Friends of the Ardwick Green group, please contact the park warden on 0161 224 2902 or email centralareaparks@manchester.gov.uk).