Grosvenor & Hilbert

Community and Leisure

Grosvenor Recreation Ground was founded on the site of an old water works and became Tunbridge Wells’ first public park. In its heyday, the park was home to an open air bath in which Cygnus Swimming Club relaxed their dignity by undertaking a ‘top-hat, clothes and umbrella race’ in the water. Later, the bath was deemed a hazard, and the park’s bandstand fell into disrepair and was demolished.

In 2015, with Heritage Lottery funding, Kaner Olette undertook design of community facilities as part of a wider project to restore the park to the heart of the community.

The result is the creation of larch-clad central activity hub to the park with a focus on community and accessibility; a multiuse community space, enhanced bowls facilities, improved toilets and refurbished fast house for volunteer use. The blue wayfinding roof marker sits atop the structure, reminiscent of a gentleman’s top hat poking it’s head above the water mid-race.