Vernon Park
🏟 Playground & park · Old Basford, Nottingham
Vernon Park
A 21-acre Old Basford park with a refurbished play area featuring a zip wire and climbing frame, plus tennis and an outdoor gym.
🕑 Opening & entry
🌱 Open space accessible daily · Free · No booking needed
About Vernon Park
Vernon Park is a roughly 21-acre neighbourhood park in Old Basford, on the northern side of Nottingham, owned and managed by Nottingham City Council. It sits in the valley of the River Leen and combines open grass with a good range of sport and play facilities, making it a popular local green space. The headline feature for families is the children's play area, which was refurbished and expanded thanks to a 90,000 pound grant awarded to the council by the FCC Communities Foundation. The upgraded play area includes a zip wire, a climbing frame, swings and enhanced safety surfacing, with equipment aimed at a range of ages. Beyond the playground, Vernon Park offers pre-bookable tennis courts, a bowls green, outdoor gym equipment, changing rooms and disabled access, with around 50 parking spaces for visitors. Its mix of modern play kit, courts and open space makes it a reliable choice for a local family visit or an after-school runaround, and it is easy to reach from the surrounding Basford neighbourhoods on the north side of the city.
⭐ What makes this place special
- Tennis courts (pre-bookable)
- Bowls green
- Outdoor gym equipment
- Changing rooms
🏞 Facilities
- Free entry
- Parking: Around 50 parking spaces
- Play surface: Safety surfacing in the refurbished play area
- Accessibility: Disabled access to the park
🧒 Ages & play
- Refurbished and expanded play area with zip wire, climbing frame and swings
📍 Nearby places to play
- Heathfield Park · approx 0.4 miles · Rise Park
- Melbourne Park · approx 0.8 miles · Aspley
- Bulwell Forest Recreation Ground · approx 1.1 miles · Bulwell
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Vernon Park free?
Yes. Vernon Park is a free public park owned and managed by Nottingham City Council. Tennis courts are pre-bookable.
What's in the playground?
The refurbished and expanded play area includes a zip wire, a climbing frame, swings and enhanced safety surfacing.
Are there toilets and a cafe?
The park has changing rooms; dedicated public toilet and cafe provision is not confirmed in our sources.
Where is Vernon Park?
It is on Vernon Avenue in Old Basford, on the north side of Nottingham, postcode NG6 0AP.
Is there parking?
Yes. There are around 50 parking spaces, and the park has disabled access.