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Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:25 pm
by Mala591
What was your boat of choice when navigating around Thompson Park lake? Did you jump off the boat under the bridge and did you ever get a ‘final warning’ off the Parkie?
- image0.jpeg (1.04 MiB) Viewed 1449 times
Seriously though, Thompson Park is currently in beautiful condition and if you haven’t visited recently then you must have a walk round with your children/grandchildren. Don’t forget a few Bob for ice cream, the paddling pool (free I think), the boat hire and the miniature railway.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:33 pm
by Nonayforever
Spent many a happy hour there as a kid. Paddle boats being my favourite.
Burnley is blessed with many beautiful parks for a town of it's size. A product of many well meaning benefactors. A lot of more wealthy towns ( back in day ) don't have the same quality of parks.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:24 pm
by ALHAMBRA 1925
As a child this was my second favourite place to go after turf moor of course.
so many happy memories of Tommy park.
Aye I used to jump off the paddle boat under the bridge much to the anger of the parkie, he was always on my case.
I would save up my pocket money to treat myself to a do on a motor boat .
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 4:07 pm
by Cirrus_Minor
I was on a day release engineering course at Burnley college, early 70s (on Ormerod Road) and if it was hot weather we would go on the rowing boats st dinner time. This would end up a contest to see who could splash enough water into each others boats to sink it. We would then trudge back into class dripping wet from head to foot. God knows how I passed the course.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:04 pm
by dougcollins
Mala591 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:25 pm
Seriously though, Thompson Park is currently in beautiful condition and if you haven’t visited recently then you must have a walk round with your children/grandchildren. Don’t forget a few Bob for ice cream, the paddling pool (free I think), the boat hire and the miniature railway.
Fully agree with your comments, it's a gem
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:19 pm
by bfcjg
Loved going in the motor boats, my dad always insisted on driving though. Lovely park happy memories.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2023 10:53 am
by Mala591
https://thompsonpark.co.uk/
Boats and paddle pool open today
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:01 am
by Bullabill
Mala591 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:25 pm
image0.jpeg
Seriously though, Thompson Park is currently in beautiful condition and if you haven’t visited recently then you must have a walk round with your children/grandchildren. Don’t forget a few Bob for ice cream, the paddling pool (free I think), the boat hire and the miniature railway.
Thanks for the pic., it's now my desktop wallpaper.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:33 am
by elwaclaret
Thompson Park was built as part of the public works for relief during the Lancashire famine, as are a lot of local parks. We should make use of them and perhaps take a second in the peace and quiet to reflect in our busy lives.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:15 am
by ArmchairDetective
For some reason I was convinced the paddling pool was no longer in use. Delighted to see that it's open. Many happy memories down there. I've always thought that park is a bit of a gem for the town that doesn't get the recognition it should.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:30 am
by Clovius Boofus
elwaclaret wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:33 am
Thompson Park was built as part of the public works for relief during the Lancashire famine, as are a lot of local parks. We should make use of them and perhaps take a second in the peace and quiet to reflect in our busy lives.
It was opened in 1930 according to Wiki?
By the way, the motorboats were phased out in the early 1970s. I thought it was much later because I can just about remember them from when I was a kid.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 9:24 am
by Nonayforever
Interestingly, I was always led to believe as a child that the lake was formed from the crater of a bomb that was dropped on Burnley during the war.
However, that story isn't true, but a bomb was dropped in the park during the war and is believed to be the one and only bomb dropped in Burnley.
That story is also untrue, as I found an unexploded bomb on the Praire playing fields when it was being converted from farmland to a sports field back in the late 60's early 70's.
That caused quite a stir.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 10:24 am
by Loyalclaret
ArmchairDetective wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:15 am
For some reason I was convinced the paddling pool was no longer in use. Delighted to see that it's open. Many happy memories down there. I've always thought that park is a bit of a gem for the town that doesn't get the recognition it should.
There are 100's of kids down there in the paddling pool on warms days. It's a great park, very well used especially when the sun is out. Went in May, there were two long but moving queues for ice creams, the lake, the trains, the park was full and all areas had picnicking families above the paddling pool and across the bridge near the train
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 10:49 am
by Tw@
Nonayforever wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 9:24 am
Interestingly, I was always led to believe as a child that the lake was formed from the crater of a bomb that was dropped on Burnley during the war.
However, that story isn't true, but a bomb was dropped in the park during the war and is believed to be the one and only bomb dropped in Burnley.
That story is also untrue, as I found an unexploded bomb on the Praire playing fields when it was being converted from farmland to a sports field back in the late 60's early 70's.
That caused quite a stir.
A bomb also landed behind the terraced houses on Rossendale road about 100m from the traffic lights at the junction of Manchester road.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 11:39 am
by ArmchairDetective
Loyalclaret wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 10:24 am
There are 100's of kids down there in the paddling pool on warms days. It's a great park, very well used especially when the sun is out. Went in May, there were two long but moving queues for ice creams, the lake, the trains, the park was full and all areas had picnicking families above the paddling pool and across the bridge near the train
Really great to hear.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:22 pm
by Tribesmen
Used to walk to school and always used the park to get from one side to the other .
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 11:55 pm
by elwaclaret
Clovius Boofus wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:30 am
It was opened in 1930 according to Wiki?
By the way, the motorboats were phased out in the early 1970s. I thought it was much later because I can just about remember them from when I was a kid.
Not according to the sources I’ve been reading, academic and contemporary.
Re: Motorboat, Skiff or Paddleboat?
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2023 8:57 am
by Clovius Boofus
elwaclaret wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 11:55 pm
Not according to the sources I’ve been reading, academic and contemporary.
I'm going off this link - which say that construction started in 1928. Maybe the allotments that used to be there were part of the famine relief effort?
https://thompsonpark.co.uk/history/