Otradny arose as a farm in 1914 after the purchase of these lands by the Kyiv collegiate registrar (lowest civil rank) K. Yanikhovsky. The farm was located on the territory of the current industrial zone. The settlement became part of Kyiv in 1938. The old buildings were demolished in the second half of the 1960s. The industrial zone was developed during the 1950s and 1960s, and the residential area between 1959 and 1965.
In the 1950s, on the site of the park there was a subsidiary farm for the management of the affairs of the central committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine in the form of an orchard. As Otradny was developed, the orchard lost its direct purpose and was transferred to local residents as a recreation area. At that time there was a clean lake in which you could swim and sunbathe on the shore, surrounded by fruit trees.
In 1971, the territory of the garden was put in order, landscaped and a park of culture and recreation was created called “Grushki” (this name is possibly due to the presence of a large number of pear trees or the Grushki farm, which is located a few kilometers to the north; in 1871 the plots came into the possession of a nobleman K. Grushko, a farm arose here, hence the name of the area of the settlement – in the mid-20th century there was an industrial zone here). But the name did not catch on among local residents and the park was called the same as the residential area – Otradny. The park was officially named Otradny only in the 1990s.
In Otradny Park there is one of the sources of the Lybid River, which made it possible to develop a reservoir with a total area of 1 hectare (Lake Otradnoe, popularly called Integral, because of its similar shape; on the shore of the lake there is a stone with a carved inscription that it originates from here one of the tributaries of the Lybid River). At the end of 2008, the park underwent reconstruction: a children’s playground was built, walking paths were laid, plantings were updated, a summer stage and an area for walking and training pets were installed. There is a small rope park. The total area of the green zone is 17 hectares, deciduous trees predominate here (mainly linden, maple, birch), and there are also plantings of fruit trees (mainly apple trees).
There are also sculptures in Otradny Park. A young couple in love, seemingly floating in a dance, holding hands, was set in the 1970s. During this time, local residents managed to develop the belief that if you make your first date in Otradnoye, the relationship will definitely work out successfully. At the end of the alley there is a continuation of this composition – a young man and a girl are walking holding hands. The sculptor exposed the torso of the young man, and “dressed” the young girl in a short summer dress, and her hair seemed to be blowing in the wind. For students there is a monument to the Ball – according to legend, if you ask the sculpture for “balls” during exams, everything will go well. Next to the monument there is an analemmatic sundial (to find out what time it is, you need to stand in the center of the dial and your shadow will indicate the current time).
In May 2016, the “Seasons” art object was installed at the entrance to the park and now you can see here: an autumn spider web with yellow-brown leaves, a snowman near a snow-covered window, spring lilies of the valley and colorful butterflies. The compositions are fenced. The snowman symbolizes winter, spring – lilies of the valley and birdhouses, summer – butterflies, and autumn – yellow leaves. The museum Mamaeva Sloboda is adjacent to Otradny Park.