Rowntree Park - Parks and open spaces directory

Rowntree Park
Terry Avenue
York
YO23 1JQ

Flooding

The park is situated in the River Ouse floodplain. When river levels are high it is necessary to close the park for safety reasons even though the water may not have entered the park. We try to keep such precautionary closures to a minimum. As a guide we use the Environment Agency Viking Recorder. A water level of 3.1 metres at the Viking Recorder is the same as the bottom of the flood wall at Butcher Terrace entrance.

When water does enter the park it may take up to 3 weeks from when river levels drop to empty and clean up the silt and debris left behind.

Records of how high the water has reached in the park can be found on the Dove Cote/Lynch Gate located next to the lake.

Rowntree Park is a short walk from the city centre, situated on Terry Avenue by the River Ouse.

The park, on the banks of the River Ouse, was a gift to the City of York by Messrs Rowntree & Co. in 1921 and is a memorial to the Cocoa Works staff who fell and suffered during World War 1. A set of listed gates off Terry Avenue were added to the park in memory of those who fell in the World War II. Bronze plaques mark both occasions within the centrally located Lych Gate.

Find out more about war memorials in York.

Rowntree Park has been awarded a Green Flag Award each year since 2004. Sites with Green Flag Awards are considered to be the best in the country.

Events

The events and entertainment space has an electrical hook up and is available for hire all year round. See holding an event in York for more information

The park holds an events licence under the Licensing Act 2003. Events in the park are also controlled and managed through an Events Protocol.

The Friends of Rowntree Park

The Friends of Rowntree Park group was formed in 1996 to work with the council on the park refurbishment. The Young Friends and the Very Young Friends have since been formed. All three groups hold regular meetings in and around the park.

ornamental lake with ducks and geese, half of the lake available for use by model boats
6 tennis courts
skate park
basketball court
Rowntree Park Reading Café
toilets - cleaned and maintained by Healthmatic
war memorial
well equipped children's play area (see: Rowntree Park play area)
dogs on lead are welcome (please pick up your dog waste)
two table tennis tables
a Rowntree Park information leaflet is available to download

Rowntree Park Tennis Club

The tennis courts in the Park are managed by Rowntree Park Tennis Club. For information on how to book the courts please visit their web page.

Model boating

A section of the lake at Rowntree Park, closest to the play area, is set aside for model boat use.

Rowntree Park is open daily every day of the year apart from Christmas Day.

Opening times are from 8.00am Monday to Friday and 9.00am Saturdays and Sundays, closing at 8.00pm. There is easy access with mostly level paths.

Visit the AccessAble website for accessibility information for Rowntree Park and for Rowntree Park Reading Café.

Buses

Buses run frequently from the city centre to Bishopthorpe Road then follow signs down Butcher Terrace to the Millennium Bridge.

For up-to-date information about local bus routes see the iTravel York website.

By bike or foot

Rowntree Park is easily accessible by bike or foot along the riverside or across the Millennium Bridge. The park is equipped with bike racks at the main entrances and also at key locations throughout.