Parks and Green Spaces in Bognor Regis

Hotham Park, Marine Park Gardens and recreation grounds

Bognor Regis has a respectable provision of parks and green spaces for a town of its size, with Hotham Park being the standout public park and several smaller recreation grounds, gardens and open spaces complementing it across the area. The parks serve the community as places for exercise, play, relaxation and social gathering, and their importance to the quality of life in the area should not be underestimated.

Hotham Park is covered in detail in its own section, but it deserves mention here as the flagship green space in Bognor. The park's combination of mature trees, landscaped gardens, the miniature railway, the boating lake, the cafe and the children's playground makes it the most complete and attractive park in the area. It is the first park that residents and visitors think of, and it functions as the green heart of the town.

Marine Park Gardens, close to the seafront, provide a more formal garden setting with bedding displays, benches and a peaceful atmosphere. The gardens are smaller than Hotham Park but have their own charm, particularly for those who want a quiet sit in a maintained garden rather than the busier atmosphere of the larger park. The seafront location means that a visit to the gardens can be combined with a walk along the promenade.

Recreation grounds across the town provide open grass areas for sport and informal recreation. These spaces are used for football, cricket, dog walking and general outdoor activity. They may lack the charm and facilities of Hotham Park, but they provide essential green space in residential areas where garden sizes are limited.

Felpham has its own green spaces, including playing fields and the village green area that contributes to the village character. The green spaces in Felpham tend to be more intimate in scale than those in Bognor proper, reflecting the village setting, and they are well used by the local community for dog walking, children's play and informal recreation.

Aldwick has limited public green space, with the beach and the residential gardens providing the main outdoor amenity. The Aldwick Bay Estate was designed with generous private gardens rather than communal green space, reflecting the residential character of the development. The nearest significant park is Hotham Park, which is a short drive or a longer walk from Aldwick.

The allotment sites across the area provide a different kind of green space, used for growing vegetables, fruit and flowers. The allotments are popular and have waiting lists, reflecting the strong gardening culture in the area. The coastal plain's climate and soil make it productive land for growing, and the allotments are valued by their holders as much for the outdoor activity and the social contact as for the produce they yield.

The parks and green spaces in the area are maintained by Arun District Council, with support from volunteer groups and friends organisations. The quality of maintenance varies, and budget pressures have affected the frequency of grass cutting, planting and general upkeep in some locations. The volunteer groups, including the Friends of Hotham Park, play an increasingly important role in supplementing council resources and advocating for the green spaces.