Public Parks and Green Spaces Series - #001 - Platt Fields Park, Manchester

This is a series of Geocaches based in our parks and green spaces, particularly those in and around cities, towns and built up areas. We hope to build on the series and hope that geocachers further afield will take the series on and help us to expand it countrywide.

 If you would like to help expand the series please email dragonstonecoven.geocaching@gmail.com

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Parks provide intrinsic environmental, aesthetic, and recreation benefits to our cities. They are important environmental infrastructure. Parks and green space cool our cities, they clean the air we breathe and they help us manage stormwater.

Trees remove a whole variety of pollutants from the air. Air pollution can increase the risk of some cancers and cause respiratory problems for many people.

The abundance of flat, dark asphalt and concrete in our cities means they are noticeably warmer and this extra heat is a major factor in smog creation. Our parks and green spaces act like a lung for the city, cleaning the air and reducing the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’. They are also essential for storm water drainage. Unpaved ground absorbs the water and the trees and plants soak it up, helping to reduce flood risks. With extreme weather patterns on the increase, green spaces are becoming ever more essential.

Many parks and green spaces become a centre for the local community. They are great spaces to meet new friends, hold events and recreation activities and help people to develop a sense of community. This in turn has a massive impact on mental health as physical health and strong relationships are so important for maintaining mental wellbeing.

Direct exposure to nature reduces stress and increases happiness and can help fight anxiety and depression. Being outside and playing in nature is also crucial for the healthy development of children, helping to keep them active and healthy and providing parents an opportunity to bond with their children through outdoor play. Parks are a fantastic place for children to make new friends and are a safe and happy place for them to play, away from roads and the dangers of an urban landscape.

Protect Natural Ecosystems

The need for more and better parks in our cities isn’t just about us. Each park has its own ecosystem. They provide natural habitats for many different animals. As cities grow, more and more of these animals find themselves without homes. Parks provide a safe place for many of those displaced by urban sprawl.

Building a healthy network of parks in our city is one major way we can protect these animals and preserve local ecosystems. This also makes parks great places to teach children about the environment and the importance of preserving natural ecosystems.

Platt Fields Park - Manchester

Platt Fields Park is a large public park in Fallowfield, Manchester, England which is home to Platt Hall. Fallowfield lies to the south and Wilmslow Road runs along its eastern edge.

The park was formally opened in 1910. One of Manchester's major outdoor event sites, the park has three dedicated show fields with a supported infrastructure for large scale national and small scale and local events. The grounds contain Platt Hall, home to Manchester's Costume Gallery, which is free and open to the public.

The centrepiece of the park is a large pleasure lake, which is used for boating and fishing. The lake has an island sanctuary in the middle, as well as a lakeside visitors' centre and a boathouse. The park also contains part of Gore Brook and part of the Nico (Mickle) Ditch.

There are gardens of different kinds, including community orchard gardens, which contain ferns, roses and heathers. There is also an educational garden and an environmental area, as well as Elizabeth II Jubilee gardens and an Eco Arts garden near to the boating lake. There is a Shakespearean garden located in the Ashfield part of the park in the south east corner that was designed to have only plants mentioned in Shakespeare's works. The Ashfield area also has an arch from the nave of Manchester Cathedral, which was previously located at Manley Hall, Manchester for a time. Ashfield was added to the park at a later date: it was formerly the site of Ashfield House and was donated to the City by Edward Donner.

There is a labyrinth and picnic area, a Veterans' pavilion and a pair of children's playgrounds. One playground is for toddlers up to age 5, with the other for kids up to the age of 9. Both are located near to the Lakeside Centre. Sports facilities include a pair of bowling greens and courts for basketball, five-a-side, roller hockey, tennis, as well as a mini soccer pitch, cycle pathways and a skate park. A new BMX track was completed at the South end of the park in the summer of 2008.

The old boathouse is now the location of Platt Fields Bike Hub, a community project involved in bicycle repairs, bike hire and other cycling-oriented projects activities.

There are three dedicated show fields in the park, which have the infrastructure to host large and small scale national and local events. Events hosted in the park have included the Manchester Mela and Eid Festival, as well as annual fireworks and bonfire displays.Until 2003 the site hosted the Manchester Flower Show. Facilities-wise, the site has a car park with disabled parking and toilets. The site also has a park office.

The Cache:

You are looking for a small camo clip-lock box containing a log and a few swaps.

As this is a new series, encouraged by Manchester City Council, we have included a collectible tree charm for the FTF! (available in the first 50 PP&GS caches)