Comments on: Park life: forgotten fish pond

By: Clare

Clare — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 03:43:40 +0000

There were always goldfish in the pond when I was a child in the 90s. I’m glad to hear they are still there now!

I always forget about the pond – it’s off such a busy street that I just want to keep moving when I’m there.

By: Lisa @YorkStories

Lisa @YorkStories — Mon, 17 May 2021 19:12:29 +0000

Wonderful memories David, thanks for adding this.

Didn’t see anything as big as the Koi Carp you mentioned. Tempted to head back up there with some fish food and look for the big fish in a small pond!

By: Lisa @YorkStories

Lisa @YorkStories — Mon, 17 May 2021 19:08:27 +0000

Hi Trev, don’t let my photos depress you too much (!) – it’s still beautiful, and many people are doing their best to keep it looking good. Many improvements in many places. But I think it’s difficult with parks, cutbacks in funding etc, changing tastes.

By: Trevor Audin

Trevor Audin — Mon, 17 May 2021 18:38:00 +0000

York used to be a beautiful City hanging baskets sidewalks cleaned and washed look at it now on my last visit I was disappointed with the city garbage about dirty store windows. I have heard several people from overseas complain about the state of York.

By: David Bower

David Bower — Mon, 17 May 2021 16:46:20 +0000

Lisa
My memories of the gardens and pond revolve around a walk into town with my parents on the evening of June 7th 1961. It was a lovely sunny evening, and our reason for the walk was to see the banners and decorations prior to the Royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Kent which was taking place the next day at York Minster.
My Dad was a keen amateur photographer, and wanted a photographic record of the decorations before the crowds arrived, I also seem to remember he was working the next day, so wouldn’t be able to record the actual wedding day. I still have these images, as a series of 35mm colour transparencies. Most of the shots were from the bar walls, towards the Minster. However one of his first shots was of a 6 year old me, sat beside the fishpond. It was very much as your 1983 shot, with flowerbeds of brightly coloured tulips. The wooden benches and ornate lamp posts were part of the scene, as was the crazy paving. I remember the fountain working, but was I think like the Parliament fountain it was often out of action.
I imagine the benches were removed to avoid Street drinking and anti-social behaviour, likewise the paving removed to avoid trips and a possible costly insurance payout!
At this time there were certainly fish in the pond. Each walk into town with my parents entailed crossing the road to ‘see the fish’. The fish at this time were colourful Koi Carp, Orange and white. I remember several were quite large, about a foot in length. They would come to the surface to take breadcrumbs from your hand if you were brave enough!
Another memory of the gardens was at Christmas when brightly coloured lights were strung between the lamp posts.