Ten London parks are about to benefit from a major makeover and one of them could be Elthorne Park.

The Mayor of London is giving ten grants of up to £400,000 to London’s most needy parks to make them cleaner, safer, greener, and nicer places to visit. Londoners are now invited to vote for which parks win an award.

Elthorne Park is an attractive  park in the Hillrise area of Islington, but is in urgent need of extra funding. The Children’s play facilities are worn down, the parks fittings such as seating need to be more appropriate to the site, there is no clear entrance to the park and due to lack of security the park suffers badly from anti-social behaviour. Some initiatives have already been undertaken in the park including the installation of a new astroturf football pitch and improvements to the Noel-Baker Peace Garden.

So how could £400k be spent?

The park has the potential to be a jewel in the community and if Elthorne were successful in the vote the money would go towards:

• • Improving entrances and creating a boundary to the park
• • Creating a new large play area
• • Creating a new wildlife garden
• • Addressing the issues of dog fouling and anti-social behaviour
• • Planting of new shrubs and greenery
• • Repair of buildings

Arabella Weir

Comedian Arabella Weir, who lives in Archway and is secretary of the friends of Elthorne Park, said: “Elthorne Park has a long history of anti-social behaviour, drug dealing sex workers and dog fouling on an unbelievable level.

“It serves a largely underprivileged community living in very high density housing. There are many, many estates around here but Elthorne Park is the only green space at all around here.

“This is a real chance for people to make a real difference to their area, and it’s so easy to do.”

You Can Help Elthorne Park by:

Voting On Line

Texting: PARKS N19 3LP to 62967

Print a PDF Flyer and set about every notice board in town !

Hurry ! – Voting Closes 30 January 2009