About

The Coy Pond Area

The area making up Coy Pond Gardens covers Coy Pond

itself and the open space formerly known as Surrey Road

Gardens being, in effect, the uppermost part of the pleasure

gardens that border the Bourne Stream on its journey to the

sea at Bournemouth Pier.

On 3rd December 1935 the gardens were leased for 999 years from Robert Ives and Frederic Ray Eaton, both of Norfolk. Prior to this not much is written about them. In 1940 they were turned over, in part, to allotments, contributing to the war effort. Permission was granted to return the remaining 18 plots to Pleasure Gardens in 1951. Since then they have provided local people and visitors with a valuable sanctuary, laid mainly to grass and planted with weeping willow and alder. The well-used Bourne Valley Greenway route offers a safe and tranquil alternative to the surroundng busy roads, leading pedestrians and cyclists through Bournemouth's Pleasure Gardens to Coy Pond Gardens and beyond. The pond is signposted so as not to disappoint should the visitor not notice Coy Pond to their right, at a slightly higher level and on the opposite side of Coy Pond Road. The friends of coy pond are a dedicated team of residents and friends, whom have taken it upon ourselves to assist the council in keeping the coy pond area clean and tidy, and regularly hold what we call “Wombleing Weekends” Litter picking, which are always popular with the residents. Every Year we have Carols by the Pond, with the Local church supplying music in the form of an electric organ and members of the choir, we set up a stall offering Mulled Wine, Mince Pies, Sausage Rolls and squash for a nominal fee. we invest the monies donated at our events to purchase new plants and bushes for the maintenence of the Rockery