Tyréns has been appointed as landscape architect and masterplanner by Croydon Council to develop strategic plans for six destination parks across the borough.
The council wants masterplans to guide the renovation of selected key parks as part of a pilot study. Each chosen park is representative of a particular urban, recreational or ecological context, ranging from historic Victorian parks to country parks that are important for nature conservation and natural grasslands.
The study will form the basis for a pilot to inform the renovation, maintenance and activity planning of Croydon’s wider parks network into highly valued assets that are enjoyed by local communities, encourage healthier lifestyles, host community and other events, preserve and improve the borough’s ecology, and provide spaces for all.
The six parks selected by the council for the study are:
Ashburton Park
Park Hill Recreation Ground
Lloyd Park
South Norwood Lake
Norbury Park
Happy Valley
Croydon has 127 parks and open spaces covering over 1,000 hectares and ranging from formal parks and gardens, to urban countryside sites and woodlands, ponds and meadows.
37% of the Borough is green space. With the highest population in London, Croydon is a diverse borough. Residents speak more than 100 different languages, 45% of the population is from a minority ethnicity background, 25% are under 20 years old, and the population over 65 is increasing.
One of the challenges faced by the masterplanners will be to engage both active and potential park users across Croydon. “We are also looking at ways to empower communities to collectively steer and manage park assets through new revenue generating activities, maintenance models and co-funding opportunities,” said Anna Reiter, Director of Tyréns UK. “Croydon is a fantastic borough and we hope to deliver a prototype that can support healthy parks for years to come.”
www.tyrens-uk.com
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