Stanley Park, Blackpool

Stanley Park
Stanley Park
	View of the Stanley Park's Italian gardens and art deco cafe
Location	Blackpool, Lancashire, England
OS grid	SD 3235
Coordinates	53°48′53″N 3°01′45″W / 53.814678°N 3.029211°W
Area	256 acres / 103.6 hectares
Created	1926
Visitors	2 million per year
Open	All year: dawn to dusk
Status	Open
Website	Official website
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name	Stanley Park, Blackpool
Designated	1 April 1986
Reference no.	1000952

Stanley Park is a public park in the town of Blackpool on the Fylde coast in Lancashire, England. It is the town's primary park and covers an area of approximately 104 hectares (260 acres). The park was designed to include significant sporting provisions, along with formal gardens, a boating lake and woodland area. It was designed and built in the 1920s, under the eye of Thomas Mawson.

It is located in the Great Marton and Layton areas of the town. It is Grade II* listed and is on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England.

The park's largest gardens feature a fountain built with Italian marble and a number of statues including a pair of Medici Lions. The Italian gardens are overlooked by a cafe, designed by Mawson and built in a traditional Art Deco style, and include steps down to the boating lake. Surrounding the boating lake is a woodland area, including a protected area for wildlife. On one side of the lake is an amphitheatre surrounding a bandstand, also designed by Mawson.

Towards the centre of the park there is a crossroads with a clock tower, dedicated to William Cocker. It is close to the large children's play area, the tennis courts, all-weather pitches, BMX track, skate park and general grassy areas. Within the Stanley Park grounds stands a 5000-seat cricket ground, an 18-hole golf course designed by Alister MacKenzie, a sports centre, athletics ground and a model village attraction.