As its name suggests, Central Park lies right in the middle of Dartford, and provides the town with a host of facilities such as the café, ornamental gardens, outdoor fitness area, skate park, children’s playground and waterplay area. There’s even a traditional bandstand in the middle of its wide open lawns, used for concerts in the summer. Split by the River Darent, which flows through the park, the southern end of the site features a number of sports pitches bordered by tree-lined paths, while at the very far south you’ll find Central Park Arena, home of the Dartford Harriers Athletics Club. At the northern end meanwhile, adjacent to the library and war memorial, the formal gardens include both summer and winter bedding, utilising both herbaceous plants and shrubs. Every summer at least 45,000 plants are used to create stunning displays. There’s a rose garden too, and an ornamental pergola and bridge. The playground here is one of the best for miles around – there’s a climbing net, aerial runway and swings and slides for older kids, plus a special area for toddlers. There are also climbing and graffiti walls, a track for bikes and skateboards, and a fully enclosed ball games area. Beyond the seaside-themed café/visitor centre, which serves hot and cold food and drinks year-round, the skate park is an ever-popular facility for teenagers, rounding off Central Park’s impressive array of attractions.
Easy access information
This park and open space has well surfaced routes suitable for visitors with pushchairs and/or wheelchairs, and has no width restricting features, such as stiles or non RADAR kissing gates.
