Golden Acre Bunkers

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Wed 01 Aug, 2007 2:33 pm

jf wrote: A similar viewpoint from Google Earth - a huge amount of change.Is there much in the way of remains of the old structures on site? I've never actually visited and quite fancy a look around now. Thats quite an incredible change over the years! Still cant see the relatioship of where the structures were/ are. Just having one of those days I think! If you go into the park through the tunnel over Otley Road with the stream on your right, and keep right walking towards the lake, you will see the structure, about 4ft high made of brick. It is near the lake, and if you climb up onto it there are strange "dug outs" within the structure.

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Wed 01 Aug, 2007 7:58 pm

Fascinating stuff! I think you can just about make out the railway "tunnel" on the right hand side of the lake. Well, you can on the original on leodis.Is that about where the odd structure is? I thought it was concrete rather than brick, but only had a quick look once.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Wed 01 Aug, 2007 11:05 pm

rikj wrote: Fascinating stuff! I think you can just about make out the railway "tunnel" on the right hand side of the lake. Well, you can on the original on leodis.Is that about where the odd structure is? I thought it was concrete rather than brick, but only had a quick look once. Yeah sorry it is brick around the edges but with a concrete infill. These pics are not that good so you cant really see where the structure is located, but if you use good old google earth from a direct aerial view, you can get the rough location. I've added a pic from google earth and in fact the hotel is just further back from this so guess it's more than likey that it was Tennis courts, but it does have drains in it and is fairly high?

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Wed 01 Aug, 2007 11:07 pm

rikj wrote: Fascinating stuff! I think you can just about make out the railway "tunnel" on the right hand side of the lake. Well, you can on the original on leodis.Is that about where the odd structure is? I thought it was concrete rather than brick, but only had a quick look once. Yeah sorry it is brick around the edges but with a concrete infill. These pics are not that good so you cant really see where the structure is located, but if you use good old google earth from a direct aerial view, you can get the rough location. I've added a pic from google earth and in fact the hotel is just further back from this so guess it's more than likey that it was Tennis courts, but it does have drains in it and is fairly high? The area is circled in white.

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Thu 02 Aug, 2007 9:47 pm

OK, will have a look if I'm passing. It's not surprising that the area needs a lot of drainage if it used to be a lake Actually, the nature reserves by the car-park and at the SE end are marshland. I think.

The Doggers · Post by **The Doggers** » Fri 03 Aug, 2007 4:04 pm

Hi folks. First post Been reading various topics for a while....I was actually down there the other day, as I live quite close and have been to the park a lot over the last ten years. Weird thing is, I was looking at this the other day and thinking to myself "I wonder what this used to be...."There is in fact a HUGE colour picture of the park in its heyday up on the wall of the cafe, which shows all the old buildings, including the dancing hall etc. plus the sea plane that used to land on the lake! The photo has been there for as long as I can remember and I highly recommend going in and having a look if you're interested in the park, although the food and drinks are sold at a premium!Interestingly, they have recently built a replica of one of the train stations near the cafe, and made it look as though it's been there for years, becoming run down and overgrown. A nice touch and a shout out to the park's history. There's not really anything else here to see in the way of old structures that I can remember, but beware of visiting late evenings, as the car park is a well known dogging hotspot!My name's nothing to do with that, I should just point out! It's more of a nickname from another site I use!

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Sun 02 Sep, 2007 11:44 pm

Finally managed to work out what this is now courtesy of Tony Shelton in his book "Leeds' Golden Acres". It was part of the blue lagoon swimming pool that was in the park from 1935 untill it was closed in 1939 after the park was requisitioned by the MOD. According to the book it closed in 1965 after the Parkway had taken it over, but failed to maintain it properly due to is lack of use. Apparently it was offered to the council for purchase, but due to valdalism etc the offer was never taken up and it closed down and was demolished. the location certaily seems to fit with the areial pictures of the park taken in 1935.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 10 Dec, 2007 11:19 pm

Was digging about in some old files and found this pic of the corner of the structure. Swimming pool blue if ever I saw it!

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 10 Dec, 2007 11:22 pm

Also in the Cafe is this pic which shows the pool as it was. Lo and behold it is in the same spot as the "mystery" structure!

BIG N · Post by **BIG N** » Tue 11 Dec, 2007 3:41 am

Question - In the first photo posted - the black and white one - as you look at it, to the left of the lake and towards the top of the photo is what appears to be a large area of woodland.In the later photo this area appears to contain a lot of structures, or at least the remains of structures, and pathways - are these a later addition to the park or were they there in the early years, and if so what were / are they ??Golden Acre is not a park I am familiar with but I might just have to take a look round.