Parks and Open Spaces in Braunstone

This covers open, recreational spaces in the old parish of Braunstone.

Local Parks

Several Sites in Braunstone Town (Braunstone Town Council)

Besides the Civic Centre grounds, Braunstone Town Council is responsible for the maintenance of:

• Mossdale Meadows & Merrileys Park - off Kingsway
• Holmfield Park - off Wardens Walk
• Shakespeare Park - off Avon Road
• Franklin Park - off Welcombe Avenue
• Watercourse Walk and Landscaped area at Thorpe Astley off Murby Way

Osiers Nature Area

Watergate Lane, Braunstone Town (Blaby District Council - Countryside Recreation Area)

The Osiers Nature Area has a hard-surfaced path leads through mature woodland into meadows. There is a stream and pond.

Blaby District Council's Countryside Officer oversees the management of 10 Countryside Recreation Areas. These sites are great for walking, birdwatching, picnics or just relaxing in.

The Countryside Officer can be contacted on 0116 272 7699 and also co-ordinates the Volunteer Rangers and the Guided Walks programme.

Admission to these sites is free and everyone is welcome, enjoy your visit but please remember

• respect the wildlife that lives there
• keep your dog under close control
• take only photographs
• leave only footprints

Braunstone Park

(Leicester City Council)

Braunstone Park is situated on the A47 Hinckley Road, approximately 3 miles from the city centre and close to the M1 and M69 Junction. It the largest and longest established open space in the area.

It is an open park, with the main gates for the driveway up to Braunstone Hall situated on Gooding Avenue.

The 168 acre park has a visitor and information centre, a memorial dedicated to the US 82nd Airborne Division, azalea gardens, play areas and two lakes.

Highway Spinney

Highway Spinney, between Hinckley Road and Braunstone Lane (Leicester City Council)

As part of the "Greening Braunstone" project, Environ-Groundwork and the Leicester City Council have been working with a group of local residents, the Friends of Highway Spinney, to make Leicester's Largest Mature Woodland a much better place for both wildlife and the local community.

The local volunteers are from the parts of Braunstone in the city of Leicester, and from Braunstone Town and Leicester Forest East in the County.

The project is funded by the Onyx Environmental Trust, the Local Heritage Initiative and the New Deal for Braunstone scheme. In partnership with the Braunstone Community Association, Groundwork Leicester & Leicestershire's conservation team and the Friends of Highway Spinney are revamping the spinney to make it more accessible and enjoyable for the local community.

Community involvement is key to this project and local residents are involved in both the ideas and suggestions for the spinney as well volunteering for the actual conservation work itself. Improved path surfaces, more light and installing bird boxes and bat boxes are some of the proposals. The Friends of Highway Spinney hold meetings with other residents every two months to discuss suggestions.

The Friends of Highway Spinney were one of two runners up in the Community Group category of The 2007 Green Life Awards at the Leicester Environment Partnership event on Tuesday 20th March.
(Applications were categorised into Best Environmental Contribution by a Business, a School, a or Individual and by a Not for Profit organisation.)