This Winter or possibly early Spring scene of the Hall Leys provides us with a view of the Park that would not have been visible once the trees were in leaf. The image we see stretches from the hard tennis courts, past the band stand, to the boating lake. The boating lake was built and opened in 1935, together with a paddling pool. Beyond it, on the far side of Causeway Lane, is Matlock Town's football pitch and spectator stand. Look carefully and you can just see the fencing made from the old tramway cable just a few feet away from the football pitch.

The intention was to use the lake for boating in the summer and for skating in the winter. In late January 1936 the ice on the lake was about four inches thick, and judged safe for skaters. Many took advantage of this, especially at night, when the whole lake was brilliantly illuminated by the lighting system that had been installed on the boating lake's islands^[1]. Skating was, of course, subject to the weather conditions and in late December 1937 the ice gave way during the afternoon so two or three skaters got their feet wet but elsewhere in the district other lakes were able to bear the skaters' weight^[2]. Matlock Urban District Council's the surveyor announced that he had provided coloured illuminations so that skating could continue at night^[3]. In early 1938 the Council were trying to decide whether the charge for skating should be 6d. per session or 1s. per day, although the issue of permitting skating on Sundays was circumvented because it had started to thaw^[4]. Youngsters were still skating on the boating lake, when conditions allowed, in the 1940s.