Okehampton Town Council has been gifted a painting by the late Steve Tyler, an Okehampton-based artist who was well-known locally.

Following the death of his father, Mr Tyler’s son donated the painting of Simmons Park (shown above) to the council, which owns the park.

Mr Tyler’s son discovered the painting when sorting through his father’s belongings.

The scene is the view from Mr Tyler’s balcony on the Swiss-style chalet in Simmons Park where he lived in his later years. Mr Tyler had lived in Okehampton for most of his life.

The chalet, known as Chalet Treloar, dates from the early twentieth century and is located at the south end of the park. It was named after Sir William Purdie Treloar, the Lord Mayor of London who opened the park on July 8, 1907.

Simmons Park is named after the park’s founder Sydney Simmons who first bought and landscaped a meadow and woods beside the Okement River for the enjoyment of Okehampton residents.

The park was expanded in 1921 when the town council bought Kempley Meadows and Mr Simmons provided the funds to build a recreation ground on the new land.

The park was refurbished again in 2002 when the woodland walks were restored and a rose garden was added to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.