Hermit Road Recreation Ground is a relatively small but historic park in a residential area of E16 bordering Canning Town, Plaistow and West Ham. It opened in May 1899 following purchase of the land by John Bethell, Mayor (and later MP) of West Ham (subsequently Baron Bethell of Romford). He was a major influence in ensuring that public parks were provided as part of the development of the area. In September 1895, the land was the site of first football match ever played by Thames Ironworks F.C. At the time, it was described as a ""cinder heap"" and ""barren waste"", and the club played its last game there in October 1896 at which point it was served an eviction notice for breaching the tenancy agreement. In 1900, Thames Ironworks F.C. was reconstituted as today's West Ham United F.C. Today, the park features a variety of trees, including mature plane trees planted at the time of its opening, plus a substantial expanse of grass and a small rose garden named after Daisy Parsons (a pioneering suffragette born in Poplar in 1890 who later became West Ham's first female mayor). The park is also the location of the Terence Brown Arc in the Park, an adventure play, sports and youth hub maintained by the Ambition Aspire Achieve (AAA) charity, mainly for the benefit of disadvantaged children and young people in Newham and surrounding areas.