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Park plans

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The Friends of Elmhurst Gardens are keen to boost community involvement and invite residents to join action days and special events in the park in 2025. Kathie Teahan reports

The Friends of Elmhurst Gardens was formed in 2008. Friends’ numbers have dwindled in recent years, but we now want to resurrect local community involvement in the upkeep of the park.

In the early 19th century, the land here was fields within the estate of Elmhurst, which in 1832 may have been held by Alexander Steward. In 1856, land to the east had been annexed for constructing the railway and the future site of the park was separated by the new railway line from the house and immediate grounds of Elmhurst. In the early 20th century, the site was leased to Woodford Urban District Council and used for allotments. In 1920, three lots were sold off by the owner, Mr Lister Harrison. The council purchased the freehold of lot number three in 1921, most of which later became the public park. It was opened in July 1927 as Woodford Recreation Ground.

The gardens possess notable beech, oak and lime trees, many in groups or rows, and concentrated at the east end of the site. Just off the path by the entrance, now near the busy A406, is a picturesque brick sundial, which had been erected by 1930.

Recreational facilities include tennis courts and a children’s playground. The bowling green was used by the South Woodford Bowling Club until 2020. There are now also various creatures carved in a fallen oak tree by chainsaw artist Marshall Lambert. An outdoor table tennis table – funded by a Just Giving project run by the Elmhurst Playground Association – was installed in 2022. Elmhurst Gardens retained its Green Flag status in 2024.

Redbridge Council’s partner, Vision RCL, in collaboration with the Friends of Elmhurst Gardens, now intend to have monthly action days in the park from April until October 2025, whereby members of the community spend an hour to help look after the park by planting, maintaining areas and litter picking. Equipment and refreshments will be provided.

It’s a great opportunity to meet neighbours and keep up to date with what’s planned for the park, especially the derelict bowls club. The council has received compensation for the damage to the clubhouse and there is a current tender exercise to begin the replacement or refurbishment of the building. Work is planned to take seven months, beginning January 2025. 

Please look out for action day notices on the park noticeboard, as well as in this magazine and the Maybank Community Association newsletter. And don’t forget, the annual Easter Egg Hunt is just around the corner. Other events are being planned; watch this space.


For more information on Elmhurst Gardens, visit swvg.co.uk/elmhurstgdns

To contact the Friends of Elmhurst Gardens, email elmhurst@swvg.co.uk