Hillyfields Community Park

The park is close to the centre of Gillingham and is popular with the local community. As the name suggests the park has steep inclines, however there are surfaced paths and steps around the site that connect the different spaces and levels.

There are three main features in the park; the children’s play area, the open space with a junior football pitch, and the wooded orchard area . The play area is well designed and innovative; it has a good mix of natural and man-made features which provide interest, challenge and act as a catalyst for children’s play. Dogs are not allowed in the play area but may use other parts of the park.

The woodland has several pathways running through it and is a shady environment with plenty of places to explore . The former orchard, although overgrown, still has many of the original fruit trees and is currently the focus of a community initiative to restore and manage it. Visitors are encouraged to forage for fruit such as apples, pears and damsons. The large open space is the perfect place for kite flying, dog walking and ball games. It has a 1000 metre pathway running around the perimeter and users of the park are encouraged to get active by cycling, running or walking around it.