Whitehorse Road Recreation Ground was reopened this week after £85,000 in Government funding was used to make “significant improvements” to the park, with locals expressing hope that it will become a safer place for people to use, and discourage the kind of anti-social behaviour it used to attract.
New welcome: some carving work in Whitehorse Road Rec, using reclaimed timber. And missing the word ‘road’ from the park’s name
Jason Perry, the part-time Mayor and full-time plastic guttering salesman, turned up to try to take the credit, and performed a duty for which he is just about competent: cutting a ribbon with a flippin’ big pair of scissors.
The ceremony was performed just a week after Perry’s Tory mates at Westminster announced their latest “get tough” measure, which would seek to prevent three or more youths gathering together… in a park.
A tree was planted and wildflower seeds scattered in the community garden, which has received a bit of a spruce up.
In September, Croydon was selected by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to receive the modest amount of funding, specifically to be used to improve parks and green spaces.
“Plans for how to spend the funds were created in partnership with local community groups and organisations,” the council propaganda department said this week, adding gratuitous political spin by suggesting that these groups in Selhurst had been “working closely” with Conservative councillor Scott Roche, Perry’s cabinet member for parks and stuff.
“The council has made it easier for everyone to enjoy the park by improving entrances and walkways, the general appearance of the park and reopening the old messroom – which will provide much-needed activity space for community groups,” said the council press release, which both got the name of the Whitehorse Road Recreation Ground wrong, and failed to state where the park is located…
There are seven “magnificent” wooden sculptures, the council press team said (missing the chance of the obvious line about the Magnificent Seven) alongside new paths. “These bespoke carvings – as well as the two new benches in the community garden – were sculpted by hand, using recycled Western Red Cedar logs that were saved from being scrap timber.”
Wooden horse: one of the sculptures dotted around the blossom-dappled park
Pupils from Elmwood Junior and Broadmead Primary schools “took part in the carving… lending a hand in making the beautiful designs come to life”, the council said.
The council press team failed to provide any images of the magnificent seven sculptures or new benches with their release.
Works have also been completed to upgrade and expand the community garden, including building a composting bay. “The new chalk wildflower meadow – completed during the ceremony – will see 25 specially-chosen species of native wildflowers bloom this year,” provided, of course, the Tory Perry doesn’t order what’s left of the parks staff to randomly cut the grass in the park when it gets a bit long, and before the wildflowers can blossom, as he did with verges and other open spaces last summer.
The council says that there are 33 new trees in the park.
There is some hope that the park will be better appreciated now. “I think it was so important to do this because some people will come and see the park looks really nice now, and they won’t want to litter in it,” was the optimistic view of an eight-year-old pupil at Elmwood Junior, Alodia Alvarino-Baeza.
Anne Crump, a member of the Friends of Whitehorse Rec, said: “We’re pleased to have the support in rejuvenating the space, because it really needed more seating. Space to sit and rest is really valuable, and the carvings are so lovely.
“This park is well-used, and we know it will be well-used in the future. We welcome more community residents to come join us in caring for the park. It’s so good for your health to be out in nature.”
Barnabas Shelbourne, the chief executive of the nearby Legacy Youth Zone, which has recently had all its council funding cut by Mayor Perry, said: “We are delighted with the rejuvenation of the Whitehorse Road park. For so long it has been a concern in regard to safety, particularly for young people and Legacy Youth Zone members.
“With the cutting back of the shrubs, painting of the hut, as well as the introduction of the sculptures, new seating and trees, it has created a really welcoming and open space that will hopefully draw families and the wider community in to use it more.”
According to the council propaganda department, Tory Mayor Jason Perry said: “Blah, blah, de blah, investment burble burble really important blah, blah, blah, community, burble, burble, community, wibble, wibble, poo.” Or something like that.
- Inside Croydon – as seen on TV! – has been delivering local community news since 2010. 3million page views per year in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- If you want real journalism, actually based in the borough, you should consider paying for it. Please sign up today. Click here for more details
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
- Our comments section on every report provides all readers with an immediate “right of reply” on all our content
- Inside Croydon works together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, as well as BBC London News and ITV London
