Bellevue Park celebrates its 100th birthday next week with a fun-filled day of events.

Proposals for a park in Wrexham were first put forward in 1876 but these plans came to nothing because of the costs involved.

The land which would eventually become Bellevue was in the ownership of Lady Williams and had been subject to gravel extraction since 1878.

It was put up for sale in 1902 but it was not until 1907 that the borough council agreed to pay £4,346 1s 7d for it.

In 1908 the bilingual council resolved to call the land “The Parciau”.

A competition was held in 1909 for the best design for laying out the Parciau and 26 designs were submitted. The winning design, named ‘Erica’, was by Messrs J Cheal and Sons of Westminster, landscape gardeners.

Their design for the park was substantially changed during construction, but provides the framework for the park we see today. Preliminary work on laying out the park was begun the same year and was helped by a loan from the Local Government Board.

The principal entrances to the park are at Bradley Road and Bellevue Road. In 1909 the borough surveyor was asked to provide the designs and estimates for the two entrance gates and associated with this work an “unclimbable” fence was to be erected around the park.

The gates and fencing were supplied by Messrs William Miller and Sons of Wolverhampton and erected by Mr H A Jones of Salisbury Park, Wrexham. Wrought iron wicket gates, which now serve to provide pedestrian access to the park, were not erected until 1919. In 1937 an entrance was made from Tenter’s Square and in 1951 the entrance gates at Bellevue Road were set back and the road entrance reformed.

The bandstand in the park was officially opened by the mayor or mayoress of Wrexham on August 19, 1914 and an inscribed tablet was later affixed to the bandstand to record the event.

A grant of £50 towards the cost of the bandstand was given by the executive committee of the 1912 National Eisteddfod, which was held in the park that year.

Bellevue Park continues to be used by the people of the town and, on Sunday July 25, there will be a fun packed celebration day in the park featuring a range of music and dance performances and attractions for all ages.

The event runs from noon until 6pm and is free to enter. The park is located adjacent to Bradley Road and Ruthin Road. For more information call 01978 264150 or email bellevue.park@ wrexham.gov.uk.