Central Park

Dartford's Central Park is an early-20th-century park featuring geometric beds, a rose garden and a scented garden. The long-standing reputation of Dartford parks for horticultural excellence continues to be maintained, with seasonal bedding in the geometric beds by the entrance gates, alongside the old canal path and in the memorial garden. The rose garden, island beds of herbaceous perennials, a winter shrub border and the scented garden, all combine to make this a town park for the garden-minded.

Central Park's Henry Wellcome Bandstand plays host to free concerts throughout the summer every year. It's also a key landmark for events like the Big Day Out, the St George's Day Parade and the Festival of Light.

Central Park is proudly home to Buccaneer Bay play park, an expansive play area on the banks of the river Darent, offering a wide array of equipment designed to cater to the diverse needs of children. This remarkable play space features designated areas for children under 5, as well as equipment better suited for those over 5. Buccaneer Bay also boasts an impressive water park that operates during the summer months, providing hours of fun for kids and families.

The river Darent gracefully flows through the heart of Central Park, serving as a habitat for several river fish species, including roach, bream, pike, perch, and eels. Dartford Borough Council's dedicated countryside team and volunteers conduct regular litter clean-ups along the section that runs through Central Park during the summer months. This effort not only reduces pollution but also helps maintain the river's flow, preventing plant encroachment and sediment build-up.

Central Park plays a significant role in Dartford Borough Council's biodiversity net gain project. As part of this initiative, a wildflower meadow and orchard have been established next to the perennial flower bed, on the opposite side of the yew hedge. This aligns with similar projects in various parks throughout the borough, all aimed at expanding pollination corridors across Dartford.

Dartford's Central Park is home to cafe and visitor centre - the perfect place to stop for tea and a slice of cake on a stroll through the park! The cafe serves a range of refreshments from breakfasts to drinks and snacks through to main meals, all at reasonable prices. At the visitors centre, people can find out about the park, the local wildlife and leisure routes including circular walks both around the town and the surrounding countryside (only minutes away through the park).

Opening times

Central Park is unlocked daily at 6:00am

Locking will commence at following times during the year:

Outside of these hours a vehicle release service will operate for which there will be a charge.

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