Wilmot Park
Wilmot Park is an urban park in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, located across Woodstock Road from Government House.
The area was originally proposed for use as either a public park or pleasure ground by its owner, William Hunter Odell, who, in 1860, offered to donate the land to the city. The city declined his proposal, which had included a provision that would have spared his remaining property from taxation. However, a committee of citizens accepted the land from Odell and, on August 6, 1860, the Prince of Wales declared it open. However, the area remained largely undeveloped for the next several years, with the city describing it during this time as a pleasure ground. In 1894, Edward H. Wilmot bought the land. Wilmot began work on developing the property into a park and, the following year, he donated it to the city, with the provision that it bear his surname. In 1984, Queen Elizabeth II visited the park.
Description
The park covers an area of. It is bounded by Rookwood Avenue, Woodstock Road, Odell Avenue, and Saunders Street. As of 2025, the park features a gravel trail system and is landscaped with elm trees, flowers, and various fruit trees. Facilities include a bandstand and splash pad, in addition to courts for basketball, lawn bowling, and tennis. A senior centre, the Stepping Stone Seniors Centre, is also located within the park, adjacent to Saunders Street. Government House overlooks the park, across Woodstock Road.History
Establishment
In 1860, William Hunter Odell, a large landowner who operated the Rookwood estate in Fredericton, offered the land now occupied by Wilmot Park to the city for use as either a pleasure ground or public park. As part of the offer, Odell stipulated that the city would have to immediately commence on the fencing and development of the land and hire a groundskeeper. Additionally, the city would not levy taxes against Odell's remaining property, which constituted over. However, the city declined the offer. In response, several Fredericton citizens organized a committee to accept the property on behalf of the citizenry. A ceremony for this was held on June 18, 1860, and on August 6 of that year, the Prince of Wales declared it officially open. According to the city of Fredericton, the land at this time was a "pleasure ground".Over the next several years, the property remained relatively undeveloped as a pasture. However, in 1894, Edward H. Wilmot purchased the property from Odell's widow. Following this, Wilmot spent nearly $10,000 developing the area into a park. In 1895, Wilmot donated the park to the city, along with an endowment of $10,000 for its upkeep and further development, with the stipulation that it be called Wilmot Park in his honor. The city accepted and created a committee to oversee the park's further development, which included the planting of 500 elm trees, the installation of a bandstand and water fountain, and the creation of a trail system.