Bugårdsparken
Bugårdsparken is a park and the main sports center in Sandefjord, Norway. It is also home to a 20-acre duck pond, Bugårdsdammen, as well as designated picnic areas and hiking trails. The park is organized for 18 different sports, including ice skating, ice hockey, soccer, swimming, archery, rollerskating, golf, badminton, and more. Besides an indoor 2,500 m.2 public pool, other buildings include Jotunhallen, which is used for handball, and Pingvinhallen, which houses tennis courts. Storstadion is also located here, current home of Sandefjord BK and former home of Sandefjord Fotball.
The pond is home to wildlife such as swans and ducks, as well as fish species including European carp, Northern pike, European perch and Brown trout. It is an artificial pond which was created in 1875-1876 with the purpose of housing the city’s waterworks. The pond was later used for swimming and had a diving platform. The lake is however no longer suited for swimming. Work on the park began in 1948, but its official opening ceremony took place on June 22, 1972. The park received Rolf Hofmo’s Award as Norway’s best sports park in 1989.
