A simple list tells the story this week. An interesting piece hidden deep in the ally pally website tells us more about the history of the landscaped park and notes: ‘Almost every type of park and outdoor entertainment facility has existed in the park at some point’, here is their fascinating list of the facilities that have been lost:
– Miniature Railway (at the boating lake)
– Tennis courts: three in the Grove, six at the Avenue
– Japanese village (destroyed by fire)
– Banqueting hall (destroyed by fire)
– Rifle range and cottage
– Race course, grandstand, paddocks and other buildings (demolished)
– Two Football pavilions (demolished)
– Bowling green (lost to the temporary events pavilion in the 1980s)
– Village on stilts (in boating lake)
– Sea scouts facility (demolished)
– Allotments (inside the race course – now open grass)
– Plant nursery (now the garden centre)
– A Bandstand (in the Grove)
– Children’s Paddling pool (now basketball area)
– Lido (edging kerbs still visible)
– Air Training Corps facility (demolished)
– Two further ornamental lakes
– Dry ski slope (closed down)
– Royal Observer Corps bunker (closed down)
– BBC Gardener’s world garden (on the slope below the BBC Tower)
See the following for more info: http://www.alexandrapalace.com/content/uploads/2011/03/alexandra-palace-park-history.pdf
