A recent post attracted a couple of good memories of a park in Cwmbran. The post was titled ‘Where has the sand gone from Sandybrook park in Cwmbran?’ The two replies both said that was not the name of the park. My favourite name was from Janet Grace-Jones who said ‘Mexican hat park was its name’.
If you remember the tower, the sunken sandpit and the surrounding wall you will probably agree that ‘Mexican hat’ is a pretty good description.
Janet Grace-Jones replied
Mexican Hat park was its name – the only name I know it as – I lived in Fielding Fairwater Way , my of my best friend Debbie Clarke lived in Steyton Path right next to the park – you are right Sandy Brock was off Ton Road – I used to play in the Sandpit all the time and I could climb up to the top and used to jump from the platform its a wonder i didnt break my neck , but i was a bit of a dare deveil in those days – early 70 s – used to doa bit of courting in those days – 1976 – 1978 – And I remember also taking my brother there before he died age 6 in 1975 he used to love the little slide, and the swings in the lttle park – it was really looked after then and well used.
Mark Ward-Jones wrote:
“I grew up on Windsor Road, just up from the park.
The tower on the Sandpit was a real dare to climb. I used to be able to (just) get up to the ledge part way up and only managed to climb to the very top a few times. The first time was when I had an Action Man with a parachute and I wanted to see how well he would float down. As I threw him off I nearly lost my balance and followed him down!
The top part of the park had the “big slide” and the “big swings”, with the bottom part having a “little” swings and slide, along with a roundabout. There was a wall separating them, which had “Tootsy Toot Tam” painted on it some time in the 1970s and stayed there for year. I never did find out who or what “Tootsy Toot Tam” was.
I’m not sure that the park was called Sandybrook Park though. I’m not even sure it had a proper name. As far as I know, Sandybrook Park was the one half way down Ton Road, next to Sandybrook Close. Those were the days…….”