CALICUT UNIVERSITY PARK
The Calicut University Park is situated in the heart of the University Campus covering an area of 6.5 acres. It was established in 1968, renovated, and opened to the public on 15 Jan 2011. The park is presently functioning under the Campus Landscaping Unit, which also maintains other gardens (except Botanical Garden) on the Campus. The Unit has three regular gardeners and 5-6 Gardeners on daily wages to attend its regular activities. The Gardeners engaged have been well-trained in gardening. Being located in the heart of the University Campus, 70-80 percent of the visitors to the park are from among the student community, and the remaining 20-30 percent from other academic circles.
One of the main objectives of the Campus landscaping Unit is to develop Calicut University Park as the best place that can be utilized for academic interaction. The Unit is also looking forward to providing a serene natural atmosphere with large open areas for useful discussion and social interaction, to provide students better facilities for study under trees during examinations in the hot summer months. Besides, to an outside visitor, it serves as a place to relax and also to enjoy. Several children’s play equipment and a large lawn area also available in the park and parents can leave their children freely in the garden. The Park is now well maintained and is being used as a service facility both educational and recreational by the visiting students and public.
The terrain of the park is rather sloppy towards the northeast direction with a mixture of laterite and red soil. The entire area has been developed by planting many flowering shrubs and trees. Majestically shaped hedges of Phyllanthus and topiaries along the border of waysides and pavements add beauty to the garden. The eastern plot of the Park is planted with different varieties of mangos. Many of the big trees were provided with protection basements planted with ornamental creepers in between. All trees, flowering shrubs, and climbers are properly labeled for the visitors to learn their scientific name, popular name, and country of origin.
It also holds a good collection of wild begonias, different varieties of Adenium, bonsai, and several indoor foliage plants in Greenhouses. The Children’s play area on the north side is provided with play equipment such as ball swings, family swings, magic globe, seated revolver, rope climb, and slider. In a few places, garden tables with benches are provided for visitors to relax and the students to enjoy leisure time or to study under trees. All places where visitors gather are provided with waste bins and necessary direction boards. A small building with two muster rooms and an office with toilet facilities are also available.
The Park is beautifully designed and maintained with paved footpaths, pergolas, and sculptures. Caged lovebirds and Butterfly Garden are some of the recent additions to the park. The entire park is provided with landscape lights and one high mast light at its center. Calicut University Park is the main venue for many outdoor training programs run by the CDMRP, Department of Psychology for physically challenged students. The park also provides saplings of selected tree species for planting in the University campus and other institutions on request.
