Haywards Heath has without a doubt some splendid parks and open spaces, giving residents ample places to walk and indulge in outdoor activities.

ALLOTMENTS - The Town Council owns four allotment sites. Two are administered from the Town Hall and the other two have been set up as Allotment Associations. Working an allotment plot is a popular and healthy past time and can be a very rewarding recreational activity. At present demand exceeds availability and the Council has a long waiting list. With smaller gardens on new developments now being the norm more people are looking for allotments. The District Council will take this new interest for allotments into account when they are planning future developments and will ask developers to set aside land for this activity.

BARN COTTAGE OPEN SPACE - This green “lung” in the heavily populated eastern area of the town, provides a football pitch, a children’s play area and a pavilion. A Youth Club and Playgroup has also been set up for the young people of the area.

BEECH HURST GARDENS - This delightful open space lies just on the edge of the town next to the Police Station and Magistrates Court. From the gardens there are fine views of the South Downs although now somewhat interrupted by the Bolnore Village development. The gardens were given to the town by the Trustees of the will of the late Mr. W J Yapp, the owner of the house that formerly stood on the site and which was used as a recuperation centre during the First World War. The peaceful ambiance of the gardens has altered somewhat over the years as the District Council has added more recreational facilities and on the frontage there is now a large Family Restaurant/Public House run by a well known chain.
Within the gardens there are tennis courts, children’s play ground, putting green, bowling greens and a large Boules rink. Here too, is the famous and extremely popular miniature railway, said to be one of the best in the country. The District undertakes periodic reviews to see what is considered to be the best use of the grounds and whether some aspect should be altered or removed. Recently a new pergola walk has replaced one that has been part of the garden for many years. This has been planted up and is now an attractive addition. Beech Hurst Garden has been awarded the Green Flag of excellence for an open space on a number of occasions. The garden has a large free car park.

BLUNTS/PAIGES MEADOWS NATURE RESERVE - These areas of woodland and open fields of approximately 65 acres situated to the north of the town, are wonderful natural open spaces. The woods and two fields were purchased by the former Cuckfield Urban District Council in the early 60’s as a permanent open space between the two settlements of Haywards Heath and Cuckfield. In 1997 the “green belt” was further strengthened when Mid Sussex District Council purchased another 30 acres of open meadowland. Negotiations for the land were undertaken by the Town Council and at one point the ownership for the town was assured but following an election and change of membership of the Council, it progressed into shared ownership between the Town and the District, until the District decided at the last minute that it would be better for them to have full ownership. The final purchase went ahead on this basis.

Local residents under a Blunts and Paiges Meadows Steering Group look after the area and have open days when coppicing, pond clearing and tree planting take place. Bluebell walks, bird, bat and butterfly watching days are also organised.

CLAIR HALL - This hall was built in 1974 following the redevelopment of the towns Community Hall in South Road. It was extended and refurbished in 1997. The building is used for both amateur and professional productions as well as all types of meetings and community events. Now looking its age, plans were being looked at under the Town Revitalisation programme to either relocate or rebuild it on present site so that Haywards Heath can have a modern, more efficient and effective building fit for purpose. Together with the station redevelopment any plans for this site are at present on hold.

Attached to the hall is the Age Concern Day Centre which offers an excellent service to the elderly of the town. This too, could be moved or improved under plans being assessed at present.

DOLPHIN LEISURE CENTRE - This leisure complex is situated near to the station and again has had several makeovers since it was built in 1974. There is a main swimming pool and a children’s pool. Alterations unfortunately did away with the diving pool, which are few and far between in the South East, to allow for a more profitable private members pool area as part of a new fitness suite, which also includes saunas, steam room and jacuzzi. The centre also has a large dry sports hall, squash court, fitness room, meeting rooms and café area. The District Council has decided that all its leisure centres across the District will be known as Olympos. However locals still refer to this centre as the Dolphin.

THE HEATH RECREATION GROUND - This park known to locals as “the Heath” and by others since 1974, as Clair Meadow, as the Clair Hall was built on the former St Clair School playing fields, was once part of the original heath around which the town has grown. Within the park is a children’s playground and is home to the Haywards Heath Cricket Club. The entire site is now surrounded by houses, which makes this open space with its woodland walks an even more precious asset to the town as a whole. It is now preserved within a Conservation Area.

MUSTER GREEN - This is another of the town’s Conservation Areas and it is not hard to see why. The tree lined green is maintained to a high standard by the Town Council. With its traditional flower beds and bordered as it is, by Victorian and Edwardian houses, the green is a welcoming eye catching entrance to the town. Over a number of years the Town Council has held a Tulip/Spring Festival on the green in April, when the spring flowers are at their best. This has proved a successful event in the Council’s calendar and has become popular with many local charities taking part each year.

At the top of the green is the town’s war memorial refurbished by the Town Council for the Millennium. At this end too, stands the Dolphin Public House, one of the oldest listed buildings in the town. It was built in the 16th century and was originally known as “Vinalls”. It returned to the original name of the Dolphin following being taken over by Vintage Inns before which it had been known as The Sergison Arms for 130 years. The Sergisons, through marriage to the Warden family, who owned most of the land which made up Haywards Heath, had Dolphins on their coat of arms.

VICTORIA PARK - Another of the town’s real assets, Victoria Park is situated right in the town centre. 141/2 acres of open space draws people from all over Haywards Heath to enjoy formal and informal activities.

The main area of the park is laid out as a football pitch for most of the year. Around its edges an undulating circular walk (or run) can be enjoyed. There are three tennis courts, an enclosed youths’ area containing skateboards ramps, which has recently had a £30,000 face lift. There is also a children’s play ground together with a much loved paddling pool. On a high plateau built from the spoil of excavations from the railway, which overlooks the rest of the park, is a popular wooded area where residents can relax or walk their dogs. This area is especially lovely in spring and autumn with the differing seasonal colours of the trees, ideal for family picnics at the weekend or a quiet sandwich lunch during the working day.

Victoria Park is also the venue for the Town Council’s Summer Festival and Fireworks Display. Popular open air concerts are also held here during the summer.

In 2005 the Council erected a Brazier Beacon in Victoria Park to light at times of national celebration. The first “firing” took place for the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, when residents also enjoyed a pyrotechnic battle of ships. The second celebration when the beacon was set alight was for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 80th birthday in April 2006. The third lighting took place to celebrate the Girl Guides Centenary year 2009 at the Town Day Festival when The Mayors of Traunstein and Bondues helped the Mayor of Haywards Heath with the firing.

The Brazier was made by a Sussex blacksmith from Offham and the oak wood post came from the Balcombe Estates sawmills.

JUBILEE GARDENS - This circular garden is at the south entrance to the town in Caxton Way, off the Sussex roundabout. This garden was laid down to commemorate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. It has several seats around the circle where shoppers/visitors can rest awhile and take in the sight and smells of the lovely colourful flower displays.

THE PEACE GARDEN - On the other side of the Sussex roundabout on the corner of Hazelgrove Road is the town’s Peace Garden. Here you will find a little area set aside surrounded by Peace roses. There is a sign dedicated to world peace. The primary school children of Haywards Heath made up poems and the Town Council had the board made up so that people could stop and read these words of wisdom from the younger generation. Local artist, and former Town Councillor Margaret Joss painted some of the accompanying pictures.

SCRASE VALLEY NATURE RESERVE - This stretch of land between Haywards Heath and Lindfield has been preserved as a wet land nature reserve and is ideal for nature walks, bird watching and for local school field trips. Again this open space area will be kept as a green boundary between the town of Haywards Heath and the village of Lindfield.

ASHENGROUND AND BOLNORE WOODS - The developers of Bolnore Village handed over the woods surrounding the development site to the District Council which is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance. As with other such sites around the town a Steering Group has been set up of interested residents to carry out the various tasks of keeping the woods clear of rubbish and scrub land. The woods are an important part of the recreational facilities surrounding the housing development and used by many for walks in a natural habitat rich in flora and fauna.