 Boot died in 1931; Nottingham City Council formally adopted the park in 1932.The ornamental park was designed by Percy Richard Morley Horder who designed it in the Victorian municipal manner with areas of planting such as an azalea walk, areas for open air dancing (which was soon change to croquet) and crown green bowling.It had a paddling pool for children and boat trips, and rowing skiffs for hire on the lake.