Hinkler Green

Image of skate park at Hinkler Green The Community Award winning Hinkler Green is located right at the heart of the Thornhill area towards the eastern fringe of Southampton and has for many years been a hub for leisure, play and events in Thornhill.

The northern boundary of the green is a dual cycle-walkway with houses and walk-up blocks beyond and the other edges are bounded by the loop of Hinkler Road and Ellwood Avenue. The 3.4 hectare green comprises a central active youth zone, a quieter tranquil zone with new circular walkway, a history focussed heritage zone, walkways and tree and shrub areas. The topography includes some slopes downwards to the valley culvert along the northern edge and upward to the walk-up blocks to the east with two landscaped mounds skirting the youth zone. The walkways follow the direction of ‘greenways’ linking Thornhill Park to Dumbletons Copse (north-south) and Kanes Hill to Weston Common (east-west). The green is easily accessed from all sides by foot and cyclists can use the walkways. A main bus route passes along Hinkler Road which also provides car parking spaces.

Thanks to funding from the city council and Thornhill Plus You, Hinkler Green has been improved with a skate park; recently built multi use games area and a very new incidental play area. Plans are now underway to develop the heritage zone to the west to compliment the tranquil zone completed in 2010, to the east of the active youth zone. The heritage zone will celebrate Thornhill’s most famous pioneer, Bert Hinkler, with an aviation theme community events area and major entrance feature. The tranquil zone majors on nature conservation, fitness and relaxation.

The shared vision for Hinkler Green Park is “Hinkler Green Park at the heart of a regenerated Thornhill - a valued, well used and loved green space providing a broad range of high quality family based activities for all the local community and the wider neighbourhood.”

See the management plan below for more details of what is happening at Hinkler Green.

Hinkler Green, Hinkler Road, Thornhill, Southampton, SO19 6GH.

What do the ‘Friends of Hinkler Green’ group do?

Anyone is welcome to be a friend of Hinkler Green member but the group is primarily made up of residents and agencies living or working around Hinkler Green, in Thornhill, Southampton.

Members of the Friends of Hinkler Green group can get involved at a level which suits them. Examples of ways to get involved include:

• Become a volunteer park warden
• Join the team of nature conservation volunteers developing the tranquil zone
• Giving your views about proposed changes
• Picking up litter whilst walking through the park
• Being involved with an practical improvement project
• Becoming a committee member to help run the group
• Supporting improvement projects for the area
• Writing funding applications
• Producing letters and posters

The impact of the group will increase as more people join, so please consider becoming a Friend of Hinkler Green.

Hinkler Green Images

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Wild flower area. Planted at the Ellwood Avenue end of the Green in liaison with one of the Friends of Hinkler Green in 2006

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Christians in Community project day. Finishing touches to the Peaceful Garden, October 2008

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Thornhill festival 2008. Stalls promoting their cause

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Thornhill Festival 2008. Celebrating disabled access with the Friends stall in the background

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Thornhill Festival 2006. Carnival procession across Hinkler Green

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Bert Hinkler Globe 2008. Soon to be repainted and moved to highlight the exploits of Thornhill’s famous pioneer

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Bert Hinkler Globe 2010. Re-painted and re-positioned in the Heritage Zone

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Soccer game in the MUGA. The Multi-Use Games Area was opened in 2007

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Notice board. Keeping people informed about developments and events

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Oak picnic benches. From 2008 new oak furniture was introduced to the Green and soon became very well used

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Street Sport event 2008. Getting young people into healthy activity is an important role for the Youth Zone

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Graffiti art boards. Art boards are being developed at either end of the skate park to display local youngsters’ work

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Skate action. Skateboarders performing tricks at the Thornhill Festival

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Fire damage. Vandalism like this is being reduced by increasing involvement and respect for the Green + designing in tasteful defences

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Vandalised Olive Tree. This beautiful olive tree was ripped out by vandals. Replacement and increased planting will eventually overcome such crime

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Dual Use Cycle-Walkway Under construction to link with the growing Greenway and cycle route networks

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Completed Peaceful Garden 2009. A great place to sit and soak up the sunshine and wildlife in the nearby Tranquil Zone

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