Parks and open spaces in Ealing

The highest of the four hills in Northala Fields

The London Borough of Ealing, one of the outer London boroughs although not on the periphery, has over 100 parks and open spaces within its boundaries. These include allotments, cemeteries, playgrounds, and golf courses in addition to the larger open spaces such as nature conservation areas. The main areas are:

Walpole park museum

The Brent River Park is one of 11 parks throughout Greater London chosen to receive money for redevelopment by a public vote in 2009. The park received £400,000 towards better footpaths, more lighting, refurbished public toilets and new play areas for children.[2]

Allotments

Across the London Borough of Ealing there are 63 allotments sites. Most are council-owned but a few are independent.[3] The allotments in this part of London dramatically increased during WWII as part of the government effort to feed the nation. To encourage the uptake of allotment plots by people who had no access to a garden themselves, a campaign was waged under the slogan “Dig for Victory”. Towards the later end of the 20th century they became popular again amongst the growing ethnic communities, as a source of some of their more familiar and traditional vegetables which were otherwise unobtainable in British shops. Some local organisations have now formally recognised some of the benefits that come from working on allotments and actively encourage their use.[4] Ealing Council has also signed up to the Unitary Development Plan which it is hoped will safeguard the existing allotments from building developers.[5]

Notes

a. ^ This park is named after the French aerialist Charles Blondin (who was first to cross the Niagara Falls on a tightrope). He once lived in a house on Northfield Avenue, Little Ealing and the park covers what was formerly the western part of its large grounds.[6]

b. ^ The Brent River Park is not only a public amenity but forms an important part of the borough’s Green Corridors with which to aid nature conservation. Also, by prohibiting development on what is much of the river Brent’s natural flood plain, it provides some measure of flood control.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "The Battle For Warren Farm Moves To High Court", Ealing Today, 30 January 2014
  2. ↑ London parks get £6m for revamp (BBC News) accessed 10 March 2009
  3. ↑ Ealing Council Allotment sites in the London Borough of Ealing Accessed 2010-02-17
  4. ↑ Food Vision Allotments Accessed 2010-02-17
  5. ↑ Food Vision Food Matters Strategy: Sec. 8. Future Developments; Subsec. For food security; para. 5 Accessed 2010-02-17
  6. ↑ A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982), Ealing and Brentford: Manors, pp. 123-128. Accessed 2010-02-17
  7. ↑ Ealing Council (12 Oct 2004) Unitary development plan, chapter 3, Green space and the natural environment. Accessed 2010-02-17

External links

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