Wavertree Playground

Public playground in Liverpool, UK

Main gates of Wavertree Playground on Grant Avenue

53°23′41″N 2°55′16″W﻿ / ﻿53.3947°N 2.9211°W﻿ / 53.3947; -2.9211 Wavertree Playground, known locally as The Mystery, is a public park and playground in the Wavertree area of Liverpool, England. It was one of the first purpose-built public playgrounds in the United Kingdom.

## History[edit]

View across Wavertree Playground towards the Anglican Cathedral

In May 1895, a stately home called the Grange was demolished and it looked inevitable that the estate on which it was based would be used as building for the increasing suburbs of Liverpool. However, the estate and some of the surrounding properties, comprising 108 acres (0.44 km2) of land, were purchased by an anonymous donor and presented to the City of Liverpool for use as a park. At the donor's suggestion, the new park was named Wavertree Playground, but was quickly nicknamed "The Mystery" by locals due to the anonymous nature of the donor. An estimated 60,000 people attended the official opening on 7 September 1895, which involved a march past of schoolchildren, a gymnastics exhibition, Morris dancing, and a fireworks display.[1]

A Liverpool Corporation day nursery had a building on the site on Grant Avenue but this was demolished about 1990.

## Features and events[edit]

In addition to the playground, the park is home to Wavertree Sports Park with many sports facilities including Liverpool Aquatics Centre, sports hall, Lifestyles Fitness Centre, Liverpool Tennis Centre, all-weather pitch, bowling green and athletic track with grandstand. Liverpool Harriers and Athletic Club have based their headquarters at this centre since 1990.

Since May 2019, the park has been the location for the "Mystery Junior Park Run". This is a free, weekly, timed 2-kilometre running event for people aged 4 to 14. It takes place every Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

## See also[edit]

* Wavertree
* Liverpool Wavertree (UK Parliament constituency)

## References[edit]

1. ^ Chitty, Mike (1999). Discovering Historic Wavertree. The Wavertree Society. pp. 16–18. (Online extract)

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wavertree Playground.

* Wavertree Athletics Centre
* The Mystery junior parkrun
* Liverpool Harriers & A.C.

* v
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Parks and open spaces in Liverpool

* Abercromby Square
* Allerton Towers
* Anfield Crematorium Gardens
* Belle Vale Park
* Calderstones Park
* Canalside Park
* Chavasse Park
* Childwall Woods
* Church of St Luke
* Clarke's Gardens
* Crown Street Park
* Croxteth Hall and Country Park
* Devonfield Garden
* Doric Park
* Everton Park
* Falkner Square
* Festival Gardens
* Gambier Terrace
* Grant Gardens
* Greenbank Park
* Larkhill Park
* Newsham Park
* Norris Green Park
* Otterspool Promenade and Park
* Prince's Park
* Reynolds Park
* Sefton Park
* Speke and Garston Coastal Reserve
* Speke Hall
* Springfield Park
* Springwood Crematorium Gardens
* St. James Mount and Gardens
* St. John's Gardens
* St. Nicholas Church Gardens
* Stanley Park
* Walton Hall Park
* Warbreck Park
* Wavertree Botanic Gardens
* Wavertree Playground ("The Mystery")
* Woolton Woods and Camphill

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