Jackson Park

Jackson Park is a historic public park and community centre in the centre of Koforidua, the capital of Ghana's Eastern Region, within New Juaben South Municipality. The Municipal Assembly describes it as one of the oldest and most historically significant public spaces in the Eastern Region, dating to the colonial era. It was originally named Oforidua, after a man who planted neem trees to shade Ga and Akyem traders dealing in fish, salt and plantain; it was later renamed Jackson Park after a European figure in the cocoa trade who promoted sports there.

The park has long served as a civic gathering ground. It has hosted Independence Day and Veterans Day parades, funerals, weddings, church conventions, concerts and cultural festivals, and the 2026 May Day celebrations. During the COVID-19 period it temporarily accommodated traders relocated to decongest the central market.

Redevelopment began in 2021 under the World Bank-funded Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme, at a cost of over GH¢8 million, and the park was inaugurated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on 29 November 2024. The redeveloped park occupies a paved 15,000 square metre space within a site of roughly five to six acres.

Facilities now include a full-sized basketball court, a volleyball court, a gym, an on-site clinic, a spacious car park, lockable stores, a 12-unit restroom facility, public and VIP stands, and enhanced lighting and security. An event and recreational centre can hold up to 2,000 guests. In 2026 the park's event centre became the subject of a dispute over its operator.

The park sits in central Koforidua, in New Juaben South Municipal District, Eastern Region. Feature coordinates of about 6.08913 N, 0.25848 W are recorded for the park; these mark the feature rather than a confirmed visitor entrance. No dedicated official contact for the park itself was found. The managing authority, the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly, lists phone 034 229 6229 and email [email protected], with its office at Koforidua Central (Oguaa), digital address EN-010-4770. A park phone number and website appear in third-party directories but are unverified against an official source. Opening hours, entry fees and current access arrangements are not established by the available evidence, so visitors should confirm details with the Municipal Assembly before planning a visit.