Raymond Park, Brisbane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raymond Park |
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Central area, 2015
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| Type | Public park |
| Location | Kangaroo Point |
| Nearest city | Brisbane |
| Created | 1913 |
Raymond Park is a fun park in Kangaroo Point, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Many people also know it as Pineapple Park. This is because the famous Pineapple Hotel is right on the corner of the park!
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Where is Raymond Park?
Raymond Park has a shape that is mostly like a rectangle. It is surrounded by several streets. Main Street is to the west, and Wellington Street is to the east. Baines Street is to the south, and Sinclair Street is partly to the north. The park isn't a perfect rectangle because some buildings, like the Pineapple Hotel, were there before the park was created. Baines Street is named after Edward Joseph Baines, who was a mayor of Brisbane and also ran the Pineapple Hotel.
History of Raymond Park
Early Days and Soccer
The Pineapple Hotel was built in 1864. It was located on the corner of Main Street and Baines Street in Kangaroo Point.
In the early 1880s, the first soccer teams started in Brisbane. They first practiced at Queen's Park. This park is now part of the City Botanic Gardens in the Brisbane CBD. However, many other sports teams used Queen's Park. So, the soccer teams looked for a new place to play.
They tried a vacant block of land in South Brisbane. But this area often got flooded after it rained. So, the soccer teams moved again. They found new grounds behind the Pineapple Hotel. This area is now the western part of Raymond Park. The very first competitive soccer games in Brisbane were played here in 1884. This ground was also home to the Pineapple Rovers Football Club. This club was one of the most important soccer clubs in Brisbane. They played here from the late 1880s until about 1940.
In 1886 and 1887, the Pineapple Hotel was rebuilt. It looks the same today as it did then.
Creating Raymond Park
In July 1913, the Brisbane City Council bought over six acres of land. They paid £4,600 for it. They wanted to create a new park. They named it Raymond Park after Alfred John Raymond. He was the mayor of Brisbane in 1912. He was also an alderman for Kangaroo Point for many years. An alderman is like a local council member. He was also the head of the Parks Committee in 1913.
The Brisbane City Council worked to get the park ready. Raymond Park was officially opened to the public in April 1915.
World War II Shelters
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During World War II, people worried about air raids from Japan. Because of this, many air raid shelters were built in Brisbane. Two of these shelters were built in Raymond Park. One was at the eastern end, and the other at the western end.
Most air raid shelters were taken down after the war ended. However, the eastern and western shelters in Raymond Park are still there. Their outer walls have been removed, but the main structures remain. These shelters are very important. They are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means they are protected because of their historical value.
