The Victoria Park project user survey
Please assist us in monitoring your views about Victoria Park.
This information will help us to ensure that we respond to people's
needs. We would be grateful if you would take a few minutes to fill
in the
Victoria Park project user survey.
Become a volunteer in Victoria Park
We are looking for people who would be interested in
volunteering in Victoria Park. You can do as little or as much as
you want with volunteering opportunities available such
as joining Friends of Victoria Park, maintenance work,
planting, weeding, working with wildlife through to involvement in
restoration project, conducting guided tours and stewarding at
events. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer fill out
the
Victoria Park volunteering form.
£12 million plan for Vicky Park
Victoria Park is one of London’s most important historic parks
and is in line for a multi-million pound refurbishment. The park
has provided a fantastic open space for generations of eastenders
to enjoy - and this investment is set to be the biggest since its
creation in the 1840s.
Tower Hamlets Council has talked to thousands of local people to
guide the project and develop plans of what they would like the
park to look like in the future. Detailed plans have been submitted
to the Parks for People scheme, a £90 million joint project between
the Big Lottery Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The funding
bid, coupled with an investment from the council, would total £12
million.
Victoria Park
Victoria Park is located within the Bow East and Bow West Wards
of Tower Hamlets. The whole of the park lies within Tower Hamlets,
but the park is bordered on its northern boundary by the London
Borough of Hackney. It serves a large residential population in
both boroughs and is the largest park within Tower Hamlets.
The park is the most popular outdoor visitor destination for
borough residents and it also attracts many tourists and visitors
from outside of the borough. It has many fine features including
superb trees, avenues, lakes and floral displays. A wide range of
formal and informal sports, sponsored activities, events and
festivals take place throughout the year.
Victoria Park is a key link in a green corridor that stretches
from the River Thames at Limehouse, along the Regents Canal and
through Mile End Park. Beyond Victoria
Park to the north and east is the Lee Valley Park, along with the
newly emerging Olympic Park.
Victoria Park was created in the 19th century. Parliament passed
an Act for the development of the park in 1841 following an outcry
about the lack of parks in the East End, and fears that disease
would spread from the stinking industries and slum population of
400,000. The Government bought poor quality land that had been used
for market gardens, grazing and gravel digging. The land was flat,
with poor soil and little water but was cheaper than an alternative
and larger site nearer the Thames.
The park was designed by James
Pennethorne. It was an instant success, with local people using the
park as early as 1843, before works were completed. The site was
extended 1872 when land originally set aside for residential
development was incorporated into the park.
The park has passed through a number of managing organisations:-
from the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1887, transferring to the
London County Council in 1889, then the Greater London Council in
1965, then to Tower Hamlets in 1986 (initially with the borough of
Hackney through a joint management board), becoming the sole
responsibility of Tower Hamlets in 1994.
Many of the original features of the park have been lost or have
deteriorated. Many parts of the site were bombed during WW2 and
have not been restored. In heritage terms the park is still of
national importance as signified by its inclusion as a Grade 2 park
on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special
Historic Interest.
The Council has a vision that Victoria Park should be restored
and improved to be a highly-acclaimed, iconic landmark urban park;
revealing its rich heritage and presenting an innovative and
exciting recreation and leisure experience for the local and wider
community.
Take part in our parks
improvement survey and have your say:
Tree Walks in Victoria Park
For more information please contact the Parks & Open Spaces
Service on 020 7364 2494 or email parks@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Victoria Park is 86.18 hectares in area size and falls under
LAP area 5.
Grove Road
Bow
London E3
Nearest underground station: Mile End
Nearest rail stations: Cambridge Heath/Hackney Wick Station