This timely boost for thousands of residents will see a huge investment as park users will benefit from much-improved facilities across several parks and recreation grounds.
The amenities at Bruce Castle Park, Downhills Park and Lordship Recreation Ground will be bolstered by cash injections of a quarter of a million pounds or more each by Haringey Council. Facilities at Chestnuts Park, Markfield Park, Paignton Park and White Hart Lane Recreation Ground will also be bolstered by six-figure sums, with money also earmarked to improve Belmont Recreation Ground too.
These improvements across the N15, N17 and N22 areas have been made possible by redistributing existing developer-funded capital.
The launch event at Bruce Castle Park this morning (Friday 14 February 2024) was attended by the Deputy Mayor of London for Environment & Energy, Mete Coban MBE, the Leader of Haringey Council, Cllr Peray Ahmet, and the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Emily Arkell.
They were joined by fellow Cabinet Members Cllr Mike Hakata (Climate Action, Environment and Transport) and Cllr Ajda Ovat (Communities) and the Mayor of Haringey, Cllr Sue Jameson, as well as ward Cllrs, school head teachers, local parents and young children to celebrate this significant investment in Haringey’s parks and green open spaces.
Cllr Arkell said:
We know just how much Haringey residents value our borough’s parks and it’s fundamentally important for the development of our young children that they have accessible, inclusive and safe playgrounds to exercise, play and socialise in.
In coming to this decision, we have met with local Friends groups and really listened to what they’ve had to say.
We’re now looking forward to working with children, young people and their families to co-design each of the eight projects and meet the local needs in those parks.
As part of the co-design process, we will be working with residents to trial an approach to participatory budgets where residents will get the opportunity to agree how the money is allocated within each improvement scheme.
We will ensure the new play spaces are fully accessible, inclusive and welcoming to all children in line with the commitments we made in the Parks and Greenspaces Strategy.
Co-production will start immediately and, once the procurement element has been completed, works on the ground will begin this Autumn. All eight projects are scheduled to be completed by Spring 2026.
To secure further funding and add even more new facilities in each of the eight parks, the council will continue to work with the community, Friends groups and other external partners.
