With Wanstead Park’s new Woodland Play Area finally open, Gill James reflects on a 22-year campaign by the Aldersbrook Families Association
Have you ever pushed a buggy containing a protesting toddler across Wanstead Park to reach the nearest play area, half an hour’s walk away on Christ Church Green in Wanstead? If so, you will know why local mums set up a campaign back in 2001 for a play area within walking distance of families living on the Aldersbrook Estate.
It has been a long, long process, which began with the founding of the Aldersbrook Families Association (AFA). Many were the local sites suggested and rejected. When no suitable site could be found, the AFA decided instead to support local projects to benefit families. So began Music in Wanstead Park, the annual event enjoyed by so many families over 17 years.
When a possible site for a modest woodland play area was eventually identified in Wanstead Park, the AFA committee decided to put the money raised by running Music in Wanstead Park into supporting the new play area project. By now, some of those original campaigners are grannies!
There were many hoops to jump through. Seemingly endless City of London committees. What sort of play equipment was acceptable to all users in a beautiful park with a semi-wild aspect? Who was going to install it? Were there any important historic remains in the ground? Who was responsible for maintenance once the play equipment was in? How to keep children safe? How much money could we raise? Should dogs be allowed? And many more questions to answer.
Finally, after many stops and starts, the chair of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Ben Murphy, cut the ceremonial ribbon tied to the log stack in the Woodland Play Area to mark the official opening of the site on 16 June, some 22 years after the AFA first set up its playground campaign! School was out, and many children could be seen negotiating the woodland trail, swinging on the monkey bars and enjoying ice creams. It was a lovely sight.
The play area remains a work in progress. The fencing around the whole site must be finished and a surfaced path is also needed, leading to a piece of accessible play equipment such as a basket swing.
What volunteers have raised:
- £10,000 from the Aldersbrook Families Association, which kickstarted the campaign.
- £7,000 from the Friends of Wanstead Parklands.
- £10,100 from the City of London Central Grants Programme.
- £5,876 from the National Lottery Awards for All fund.
- £1,000 from the 2022 Aldersbrook Garden Trail.
- £1,000 from a family cycling event in the park in 2022.
Now, it’s up to today’s young parents to look after the play area and make it even better.
The Woodland Play Area is located behind the Temple in Wanstead Park. For more information, visit wnstd.com/park
