Grant Park – 100 years in the community

Grant Park was gifted to the town by one of its most famous sons, Sir Alexander Grant, in 1924.

It contains a large park area with a natural arena. Along its boundaries are the Cluny Hill woodlands, St Leonard’s Road, the high street and a car park.

Along the northern edge is a traditional floral garden and a sunken garden, tended by volunteer group Forres In Bloom.. Both form the centrepiece for competition entries such as Scotland in Bloom. Forres has won many accolades for its gardens over the years, including a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for the team who consistently tend the gardens year after year.

The sunken garden was built on the site of Forres House which was sadly destroyed by fire in 1970.

In the park, you’ll find:

It is also being considered or an all-wheel sports facility (skateboards, scooters, BMX, etc)

Events held in Grant Park recently include:

• Highland Games (every year)
• Forres Theme Day (Sunday before Mayday bank holiday)
• World Orienteering Championships (2015)
• European Pipe Band Championships – Piping at Forres (2013–2018)
• Pride in Moray (2023 and 2024)

History of Grant Park

Grant Park has been in the hands of the local community for 100 years. It’s large natural arena is regularly used for cricket matches, but it also lends itself well to large spectator events, such as the Highland Games which have been played here for many years. Between 2013 and 2018, the European Pipe Band Championships were held in the park attracting up to 15,000 people from all over the world.

Forres House and its gardens were put up for sale in 1922 and the £5000 needed to buy them was gifted by Alexander Grant. He gave them an additional £1000 for the layout of a public park in 1924.

A ten-foot-high wall that screened the 32-acre piece of land from the high street was removed, and the grounds were made into a public park and named in Sir Alexander’s memory.

Lady Grant opened the park on the 27 August 1924.

Grant Park 100

An event entitled ‘Grant Park 100’ was held to celebrate the park’s centenary on 24 August 2024. A statue dedicated to Sir Alexander Grant was unveiled at the event.