Kids help park get a multi-million make-over

Year one pupils at Old Ford Primary School gave multi-million pound improvement plans for Victoria Park a boost as they drew colourful pictures of the much-loved open space.

Tower Hamlets Council has received more than 200 drawings from local primary schools including Cayley, Chisenhale and Old Ford primary schools, following a call from Councillor Abdal Ullah, Lead Member for Cleaner, Safer, Greener to back the Victoria Park funding bid.

Councillor Ullah said a big thank you to all the children and schools that sent in pictures of the park. The bright, colourful drawings highlighted the children’s favourite areas of the park or pictures of what they would like it to look like in the future.

He said: “These fantastic pictures will be used to support the Victoria Park funding bid. They will help to show how important the park is to future generations.”

More than 5,000 residents and visitors have had their say on the funding bid, which includes the Victoria Park masterplan. The bid will be submitted on Monday 21 December to much fanfare as a look-a-like Queen Victoria, along with horse and carriage will tour, the west side of the park between 10am and 1pm. Residents are being encouraged to come along and show their support.

Tower Hamlets Council is committed to investing in the project, and is hoping to gain additional funding through the Parks and People scheme – a £90 million joint project between the Big Lottery Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

If successful in gaining the funding, a total of £12 million would be invested in Victoria Park. This would represent the single biggest investment in the park since its creation in the 1840s.

The works would be completed in mid-2012, in time to showcase the very best of East London’s heritage on the world stage of the Olympic Games.