East End Park, Leeds

East End Park is an inner city area of east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is situated between Burmantofts to the north west, Harehills to the north east (although not a direct neighbour), Halton Moor to the east, Richmond Hill to the west and Cross Green to the south west. It blends into the Halton Moor/Osmondthorpe area and is 1 mile to the east of Leeds city centre in the LS9 Leeds postcode area.

General description

The area is situated in the vicinity of the A64 York Road, east Leeds' main thoroughfare, and is also home to a large park dating back from Victorian times which was purchased by Leeds City Council in the late 19th century, when it was waste land. Housing in the area is made up of nineteenth-century through terraced housing, some back-to-back terraced housing. Semi-detached and detached houses are also found in the area.
Many of the back-to-back terraced houses in the area were due to be demolished as part of the £1.3 billion ''EASEL'' regeneration scheme in east and south-east Leeds. However these plans were withdrawn in 2010 with Leeds City Council citing the recession debilitating the private sector's ability to build as the main reason.

File:Victoria Grove.jpg, Older street-fronted terrace. ''House pictured known as the McMansion.''
File:Back Terraces, East End Park 13 August 2017.jpg, Rear gardens of terrace houses
File:Terraces in East End Park 13 August 2017.jpg, Back-to-back terraces
File:Nixon Avenue 13 August 2017.jpg, Semi-detached houses
File:East End Park North End 13 August 2017.jpg, Old and new houses by the park
File:Charlton Road 15 August 2017.jpg, Charlton Road, one of several streets with Charlton in the name.
File:St Hilda's Crescent - Fewston Avenue - geograph.org.uk - 1243164.jpg, Demolition on St Hilda's Crescent
File:St Elmo Grove - Vinery Avenue - geograph.org.uk - 1238781.jpg, Through-terraced on St Elmo Grove
File:Charlton Street - East Park Road - geograph.org.uk - 1241798.jpg, Back-to-back terraces on Charlton Street

Crime is unevenly distributed across East End Park. The Glensdales, Templeviews and Charltons are a small cluster of predominately back-to-back streets noted for the majority of the area's crime and have subsequently become a priority area of West Yorkshire Police, crime in the rest of the estate is much less common. The same group of streets are a focus of some regeneration in the area.

The area is home to one of the major Irish communities in Leeds, and is home to the prestigious music venue 'Leeds Irish Centre', the first purpose built Irish Centre in Britain. The centre opened on 20 January 1970, although the official opening ceremony was held on 8 June 1970. A blue plaque calls it "The Crucible of Darts", being the location for televised darts matches in 1973. There also a Buddhist temple in a former school by the park.

File:Leeds Irish Centre York Road 16 August 2017.jpg, Leeds Irish Centre
File:Crucible of Darts 16 August 2017.jpg, Blue Plaque: The Crucible of Darts
File:Wat Matchimaram Leeds 4 August 2017.jpg, Wat Matchimaram: former school now Buddhist Temple

The Park

East End Park was originally part of the grounds of a mansion, Osmondthorpe Hall (destroyed by fire in 1924), sold to the city in 1886. It is now managed by Parks and Countryside, part of the Learning and Leisure Department,
Leeds City Council. It offers has bowling greens, tennis courts, football pitches and a basketball court. There are plenty of open spaces in the park and areas of well established woodland. There are also seating areas amongst rose and shrub beds. The park hosts many events throughout the year including an annual bonfire and fun fair which attracts up to 10,000 visitors. A tennis camp is held each August for young people.

In March 2009, Trees for Cities and Leeds City Council planted 3,000 whips at East End Park in order to create new areas of urban woodland to help screen the park from the railway line that runs behind it. The planting follows planting in 2007 when, with the help of the local community, 18 large trees were planted to replace those lost in September 2006 when a freak tornado struck the city.

File:East End Park fingerpost 13 August 2017.jpg, Park signpost
File:East End Park bowling green 13 August 2017.jpg, Bowling green
File:East End Park Victoria Avenue c 13 August 2017.jpg, Victoria Avenue through the park
File:East End Park trees 13 August 2017.jpg, Footpath going East
File:East End Park grass 13 August 2017.jpg, The main grassed area, with sports pitches in the distance
File:East End Park trees 13 August 2017.jpg, Part of the wooded area

Transport

East End Park is situated in the vicinity of the A64 York Road, east Leeds' main thoroughfare, providing the area with a well established and reliable bus service. Most bus routes are operated by First Leeds and Arriva Yorkshire. The 19 and 19A run to Garforth, Colton, Halton, the city centre, Headingley, West Park, Ireland Wood and Tinshill. The 5 runs to Halton Moor, Osmondthorpe and the city centre. The 40 and 40A run to Seacroft, Swarcliffe, Cross Gates, Halton and the city centre. The 56 runs to Whinmoor, Seacroft, Killingbeck, Hyde Park, the University of Leeds, Headingley and Moor Grange. The 163 and 166 run from the city centre to Castleford, as well as services that run along the A64 to the east coast.
The closest railway station is Leeds railway station.

Location grid

References

External links

What is EASL Regeneration Inititative ? - East Leeds re-generation

{{City of Leeds

Irish diaspora in England
Places in Leeds