Before 1841 the land was the site of a brick works and the lake is a result of the extraction of clay from the area.

The funding for the second playground came from central government through the playbuilder scheme[2] and the Veolia Environmental Trust.

[4] The Friends of Sandall Park is a registered charity formed in 2003 which is committed to the promotion, support, assistance and regeneration of the park.

[5] In 2011 the group won the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

The award which is the equivalent to an MBE and is the highest award that can be made to a voluntary group[6] was made for their continued efforts in the park which benefits both park visitors and wildlife.