Oaklands Recreation Ground in South Yardley over the years

The Oaklands Recreation Ground is a large park between South Yardley and Hay Mills. And is close to the Swan Island, Coventry Road and Church Road. Also opposite the Swan Centre (with the big Tesco Extra). I've walked around here several times over the years. Even when covered in snow and it was freezing cold! In recent years the parkland has been done up. Also nice skyline views.

The Oaklands Recreation Ground is a large parkland located in South Yardley and near Hay Mills in Birmingham. Not far from the Swan Island and the Coventry Road, A45. The semi circle road altered for the rebuilding of the Swan Centre, Church Road passes the park to the east. While Hob Moor Road is to the north and Holder Road to the west.

Nearby bus routes include the 11A, 11C, 60, X1 and X2 from National Express West Midlands.

Improvement works took place here until 2017 (which included Phase 4 that year). There is paths for walking or running, a new outdoor gym, playgrounds and a skatepark.

For skyline lovers, on a clear day you can see the Birmingham Skyline from here.

 

Over the years, I have popped into this park or recreation ground several times. One year there was snow there and it was very cold, so wasn't there long (and headed to the Costa in the Swan Centre to warm up).

 

2013

I usually get in from the Church Road semi circle road in South Yardley. My first visit was during December 2013. There is a pathed entrance near here. Not far from the 11A bus stop and Tesco petrol station.

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This view towards a pair of Gas Holders. Probably the Nechells Gas Holders (or Saltley).

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One of my early Birmingham skyline photos from the Oaklands Recreation Ground. Here you can see The Cube, The Sentinels and the Beetham Tower.

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Football goalposts. Would assume that the park was in it's early phases of improvements at this point in time.

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The path at the other Church Road exit. If you enter or exit here, you are opposite Yardley Primary School.

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In this view, I got the skyline of Birmingham with the lawn and paths in the Recreation Ground. From the Beetham Tower to the Rotunda. The Hyatt Hotel and Alpha Tower are in the middle of this view.

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2017

My second visit to the Oaklands Recreation Ground with my camera was during October 2017. By then the improvement works were well under way and were due to be finished by December 2017. As before entered the path from Church Road opposite the Swan Centre. Path to the right, but I headed to the left.

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The path to the left that I followed down the hill. You can see that they weren't quite finished with the improvement works here at the time.

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A set of swings.

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This view towards Bakeman House and Equipoint. A residential block of flats above the Swan Centre near Tesco Extra that was refurbished when the Swan Centre was rebuilt. Equipoint was offices, but for years they struggled to let them, so now they are being converted into flats or apartments (or they were before the lockdown came into force).

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View towards The Vibe. A youth centre on Holders Road.

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New sculpted gates at the exit to Holders Road. The design of animals on flowers by the looks of it.

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The path to the left leads to the Coventry Road, while the path to the right leads to Holders Road. I headed to the Coventry Road this time around.

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Getting close to the Coventry Road entrance / exit. The brick walls and gates had yet to be built at this point.

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2018

Would you believe it that during March 2018, there was snow and ice in the Oaklands Recreation Ground. This was during the weather event known as The Beast from the East 2. It felt like -15°C but was probably more like -3°C. This was the height restriction barrier in the car park near Boughton Road.

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It was as cold as it looks! Snow and ice everywhere. Bollards and the new railings were ahead of me.

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Another look at one of the new gates. Nice sculpted design on this one.

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The grass poking just above the snow, but still looks like it could be in Antarctica or something. So so cold. My hands and feet were freezing. Had to keep putting my gloves back on.

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Tried to get as many snow photos as I could before heading to the Swan Centre for a warm coffee in Costa.

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Getting close to Tesco Extra and the Swan Centre. Saw this climbing frame, probably part of the outdoor gym set. No one would be using it in these conditions.

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The middle of March 2018 and the leaves hadn't yet grown back on the trees. View of Equipoint.

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Heading out of the Oaklands Recreation Ground onto Church Road. View of the Tesco Extra petrol station and Equipoint.

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By April 2018, the snow of the month before was a distant memory. The new brick gate posts on the Coventry Road was complete along with new railings either side of it.

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There was also this brick wall around the oak sculpture. Also the daffodils had finished flowering.

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I didn't go into the Oaklands Recreation Ground this time, just saw in passing probably heading to the X1, X2 or 60 bus stop on the Coventry Road. The Oaklands sign looks nice don't you think? The gateposts also had a pair of oak sculptures on them. Was done as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Field - Fields in Trust. Diamond Jubilee 2012.

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2019

The first of my three visits here was during January 2019. A look at one of the new playgrounds.

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An outdoor gym seen from the path coming from the Coventry Road, which I assume is now the main entrance to the Recreation Ground.

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My second visit in 2019 was during October 2019. View of the Birmingham skyline, while the trees looked autumnal. 103 Colmore Row was rising to the left. With the BT Tower in the middle.

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This view towards The Cube and The Sentinels with The Bank Tower 2 seen behind.

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From this path you can see the skatepark with the skyline behind.

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Saw this stone with the Queen Elizabeth II plaques. I had previously seen it a few years before with no plaques on it. But on this visit I did not get too close to them, so I had to return to see them again a few months later.

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Another City Skyline view from the Recreation Ground with the houses near Holders Road below.

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Another view of one of the new playgrounds towards Holiday Inn Express. Also known as the Holders Road Play Area as I discovered when I returned on Boxing Day 2019.

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Third and final visit in 2019 was on Boxing Day near the end of December 2019. Mainly to get close to that i stone with the Queen Elizabeth II plaques. Saw this yellow swing thing in one of the playgrounds.

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The Holders Road Play Area empty on Boxing Day 2019. All playgrounds in the cities parks are now closed during the lockdown while the parks remain open.

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Saw this sign close up in the design of an oak leaf. This is where I saw the Holders Road Play Area name.

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Going past the skatepark. It was pretty quiet here on Boxing Day.

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Another set of swings with a lime green bar at the top. Also saw a magpie.

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The outdoor gym equipment on Boxing Day. These will now also be out of use during the lockdown we now find ourselves in.

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Finally got up and close to the stone with the plaques. The top one was the Queen Elizabeth II Fields in Trust Diamond Jubilee 2012 plaque. The bottom one was the blue plaque stating that the Oaklands Recreation Ground was awarded Fields in Trust status in 2014 in recognition of the site's importance to the local community, and so it will be protected for generations to come. The boulder represents the strength and durabilty that working in partnership can bring, resulting in a better and sustainable future for all.

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Back to the path leading to the gates at Coventry Road and heading to the 11C bus stop near Yardley Primary School. Buses are now reduced during the lockdown, and can't use them again until the lockdown is over.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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Birmingham We Are People with Passion award winner 2020