Parks are great places where all sections of our communities can come together to relax and enjoy ourselves. So that people can do that in Lordship Rec, Tottenham’s largest public park, Friends of Lordship Rec helped to transform it into a beautiful space for everyone to use.
Following years of continuous effort, public consultation, campaigning, and partnership-working between the Friends of Lordship Rec, the Council’s Parks Service & others – backed by massive support from local people – the park received £4m from the Lottery, totalling £5m funding from all sources.
In 2012 the completed improvements included a new, community-run ‘Hub’ with cafe and toilets; a new staff depot; restoration of the river, Shell Theatre and model traffic area; more trees, meadows and flower beds; improved maintenance and management; and much more. The community is now helping manage the various facilities and the park as a whole.
Organising ourselves
Local residents and park users formed the Friends of Lordship Rec in 2001. As regular users, we realised there was a need for the basics of any decent large park – public toilets, better play equipment, proper maintenance of paths and benches, good management and daily on-site staffing, good quality and staffed buildings, refreshments and so on. This is what we campaigned for, and what we now have!
The Friends, Council, other key User Groups and local community organisations work together through the Lordship Rec Users Forum (chaired by the Friends) to work out what further improvements the park needs, how to get funding for it, and how to manage the park together.
What we’ve achieved so far
As well as the recent major regeneration works, previous successes include the active play areas by the Shell Theatre, on-site staffing, and the active involvement of the Broadwater Farm Community Centre, including ‘Back To Earth’ and its food-growing and cafe projects based there. In 2015 the Friends mounted a huge and successful campaign against a threat by Council planners to promote future house-building on a third of the Rec. Over the last 10 years, we have taken charge of improving the lake area and the woodlands. We’ve published leaflets and history pamphlets, promoted biodiversity in the Rec, organised a range of activities and events + helped coordinate annual events and festivals – 8,000 attended in 2012. We manage the park’s noticeboards. We set up a Co-operative which is now managing the marvellous Eco-Hub building and cafe. Not bad for a bunch of local volunteers! There’s also a range of other User Groups organising events, activities & speaking up for various interests.
For More info on the Rec www.haringey.gov.uk/lordshiprec