Alfred and Lucina Best Park in The Gap is set to undergo a series of exciting transformations, including improvements to the park’s BMX track, and the addition of a multi-user games area and a learn-to-ride track.
The project will commence on 26 July 2023. The park will be temporarily closed until the end of August to make way for the construction.
Already a popular destination for leisure and sports activities, Alfred and Lucine Best Park is named in memory of Alfred and Lucina Best, who played significant roles as early pioneers of The Gap. Alfred John Best, part of a family that pioneered the Horse Drawn Coach Service between Brisbane and Sandgate in the 1860s, married Lucina Emma Bennett in 1893.
Lucina was the daughter of a pioneering dairy family in The Gap, with their farm extending from the vicinity of the present-day Ashgrove Golf Club to The Gap Tavern area.
Alfred and Lucina Best established the “Sweet Home Dairy” in the Lizzie Terrace Estate, near the site of Rainworth School. And in 1901, they purchased a portion of land, covering 106 acres . Today, a small portion of this land is occupied by the Payne Road State School.
In 1934, Alfred leased the property, which became affectionately known as “Sheps Place”, following Lucina’s passing in 1926 at the age of 57. Although Alfred temporarily left the property in 1934, he returned in 1938 and resided there until his death in 1948.
Upon the subdivision of the land, the Trustees of the Estate generously donated a portion to the Council for the people of The Gap, resulting in the establishment of the Alfred and Lucina Best Park.
Learn more about the Best Family by visiting this page.
The park features accessible amenities, such as wheelchair-accessible toilets, a basketball half-court, a bikeway/walkway, a BMX track, a netball court on Payne Road, and water fountains for convenience.
With the addition of the multi-user games area, the learn-to-ride track, and the enhanced BMX track, the park will offer an even more engaging and enjoyable experience for all visitors, providing a diverse recreational opportunity for the community to enjoy.
Published 26-May-2023
