Cracknell Park

Statement of Significance

• The place has aesthetic value for its combination of mature trees and well maintained parkland adjacent to the river.
• The place has historic value for its association with the early forms of public recreation and organised sports using public facilities.
• The place has social value for its association with the past use of the site for the local swimming, scout and rowing clubs and its continued use for passive recreation.

Physical Description

A city park located on the southern banks of the Swan River incorporating a riparian landscape, children’s play area, grassed areas, seating and terraces leading down to the river. Typical park environment with mix of hard and soft landscaping elements populated with native plantings. There are pathways that lead down to the river and a small jetty.

History

This local bathing centre is referred to as ‘The Springs’ because of its natural formulation at the riverside. In many local government documents the site is also known as the Hawksburn Road Swimming Baths and Riversdale Baths.

‘The Springs’ had always been a popular bathing site for the people of Belmont and Victoria Park, as the Minutes of the Road Board meeting of December 15, 1903 document. The site served as a popular bathing place well before the turn of the century. At the meeting, the proposal for the erection of bathing sheds was announced, this request was granted on 4 February 1907, and the construction of the sheds was to be the financial responsibility of the Burswood Progress Association.

The Minutes of the BRB meeting of January 15,1912 document that some difficulty in the fund raising pursuits of the Progress Association led the Board to take on the bathing shed issue, with the maximum allocation of 50 Pounds set aside for this specific purpose. When tenders were called in late January 1912, only a single application was received.
Unimpressed, the Board encouraged one of their employees, McCracken , to take on the task of constructing the sheds. Presumably, the shed was completed in time for the Burswood Swimming Club’s carnival held on March 2, 1912.

During World War I, the area served as a social centre, playing host to various picnics, regattas, swimming clubs and competitions. Special distance markers for swimmers (consisting of spaced poles embedded into the mud bottom of the river) had been constructed in 1919 and the area was partially sectioned off by a makeshift jetty. As the place became a frequented venue for sporting and social events, the change sheds were updated and a proper path to the swimming area was laid.

The Minutes of a Road Board meeting of 6 October 1919, document that a petition was presented requesting that the Board purchase the land adjoining Hawksburn Road and Riversdale Road to improve the bathing place and assist the new cricket club in finding a ground. Mr Newey spoke of the matter on behalf of the Belmont’s Young Men’s Club who were officially the owners of the land. The Club had acquired the land cheaply, early in 1919, and had been intent on developing it as a major metropolitan swimming site. The club found it difficult to raise funds to maintain the venue, and so by 1927, the Belmont Young Men’s Club transferred the land permanently into the hands of the Belmont Park Road Board. The Club stipulated one condition to the Board, that being, that the land be maintained exclusively for recreation purposes.

During the 1920’s and 1930’s, ‘The Springs’ was a popular site for rowing competitions and regattas, many of which were sponsored by local Progress Association. The Riversdale Progress Association donated funds towards the staging of regattas at ‘The Springs’, as well as a clean-up of the facilities.

‘The Springs’ was also a place of some renown for local Scouts who frequented the area as the starting point for their annual Swan tikis. The Road Board began to update the facilities rather substantially by the 1930’s. The documents and Minutes of the Board meetings determine that by June 30, 1931 the land on the foreshore had been levelled, cleaned and listed as the newly constructed Riversdale Park. In addition, new swimming lanes were constructed in 1938 and an additional jetty added in 1955, in order to assist the Belmont Swimming Club, which conducted frequent competitions and carnivals at ‘The Springs’.

By December 18, 1964 ‘The Springs’ reserve had been fully reticulated and at a Board meeting on April 10, 1964 it was resolved to change the title of the reserve to Cracknell Park.

The proclamation of Cracknell Park was in honour of a local family, specifically Ronald Frederick William Cracknell (c1906-1981) who served on the Belmont Road Board.
Cycle ways were added during 1974 / 75 (Minutes of Shire, November 1974 to July 1975), for more contemporary sporting enthusiasts and are now linked to a system of cycle tracks along the Swan River. The park continues to be popular for the community of Belmont and the wider metropolitan community.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: N/A
Authenticity: N/A

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.