Residents and Friends Celebrate Riverside Terrace
Friends of Wandsworth Park held an opening event having managed to retain the area for public use
A Riverside Terrace has opened at Wandsworth Park, creating a new public space in a formerly disused part of the popular park.
The council has asked the Friends of Wandsworth Park to manage the Terrace, it overlooks the Thames at the Putney end of the park. Volunteers will be opening and closing it every day. The aim is to turn it into a sensory garden.
The Friends held an opening event on Sunday, with dozens of people enjoying free tea and cakes and enjoying children’s activities, yoga taster sessions and live music. The Friends in 2017 managed to gain Asset of Community Value (ACV) status for the section of the park which some local residents had tried to anexe into their gardens.
Serena Smith entertained guests
It was formerly closed off to the public and in 2017 the council rejected a planning application to incorporate it into the back gardens of nearby private houses – a decision upheld by an independent planning inspector last year.
I've lived near @WandsworthPark for seven years now and *love* it.
— Jonathan Rowson (@Jonathan_Rowson) June 9, 2019
I'm proud of Friends of Wandsworth Park for fighting to keep a terrace within the park in public hands, resisting private developers. It's now operated by community volunteers. Today there was a party to celebrate pic.twitter.com/pOIurGBUO1
Since then the council has been working with the Friends to open up the 176 square metre strip of land, which directly fronts the river. The Friends have agreed to manage it and open it all year round and will keep it locked at night to prevent any anti-social behaviour. They are keen to hear from any volunteers willing to help out.
Pat Gross, chair of the Friends of Wandsworth Park said: “Let’s see if we can now keep the River Terrace open forever. Please everyone enjoy it and if you are able to assist the volunteers who will be opening it in the morning and closing it in the evening get in touch asap at fowpriverterrace@gmail.com Please enjoy this precious space which we are gradually turning into a sensory garden. We hope it brings you comfort and joy.”
Wandsworth Council’s cabinet member for Community Services and Open Spaces said: “We greatly value the input of all our parks’ friends groups and are delighted that the Friends of Wandsworth Park agreed to work with us on this new Riverside Terrace. Wandsworth Park is one of the borough’s most beautiful, popular parks, and I’m looking forward to seeing this formerly disused space develop into a calm oasis for local people to enjoy.
Contact the by email at friendsofwandsworthpark@gmail.com or follow them on twitter at @WandsworthPark.
June 13, 2019