Gilbertson Park

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

The Gilbertson Park is named after Robert P. Gilbertson, who was born at 99 Commercial Street on 3rd August 1840 and died in Lerwick on 28 January 1907. He left Lerwick when he was aged 19 and worked and made his fortune in South Africa. He purchased the area of ground to the west of Burgh Road in 1895 for use as a public park and it was given "as a gift to the people of Lerwick for the use of the inhabitants in all time coming"
The park was opened with great ceremony on Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee day in 1897. There was a parade from the Market Cross consisting of schoolchildren, The Good Templars, The Rechabites, the Town Band, The Oddfellows, the two Freemason Lodges, The Town Council, the Sheriff and Robert Gilbertson. It was stipulated that entry charges could be made on a maximum of two occasions per year and only if seating was provided. Standing spectators entered free. Until the late 1950's at least, the common practice was to take a 'silver collection' towards the maintenance of the ground. To the west of the park there was formerly a quarry from which many of Lerwick's houses were built.

The park is used to field football games for the Premier League and the Reserve League.

The Gilbertson Park also has a games hall within, which is used as a hall for Up Helly-Aa.