Beckenham Place Park relaunched
Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham, and Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, marked the opening by cutting the ribbon on the capital’s first purpose-built wild swimming lake and cheering on the first swimmers.
Damien said: ‘After three years of hard work, Beckenham Place Park has been transformed into a beautiful, peaceful location. It now offers a wider range of activities and we have already seen visitor numbers soar, particularly within the BAME community and younger residents.
’This would not have been possible without funding from Sadiq Khan’s Greener City Fund and the National Lottery’s Heritage Lottery Fund, and we are grateful for their support. I also want to thank the volunteers who have worked so hard to make this project possible.
’The park’s transformation shows how much we value our green space in Lewisham and how we are committed to protecting it for the enjoyment of residents and future generations to come.’
The new features include:
- London's first purpose-built swimming lake
- the restored Grade II listed stable block and extensive stable yard which now features a café and education centre
- a new wet woodland area
- the restored Victorian cottage, now the base for volunteering activity in the park and surrounded by a community garden
- a stimulating new children’s play area which encourages natural play and exploration
- restoration of elements of the historic landscape – pleasure gardens, courtyard and carriage drive to the Grade II* Mansion House
- new cycling tracks and accessible walking routes.