Lordship Recreation Ground
Lordship Lane, N17
Green Flag Award Winner since 2013
Lordship Recreation Ground is a District Park situated in the heart of Haringey. It was first opened as a public park in 1932 and has long provided recreational facilities to people living in the Tottenham Area.
Recent Developments and Restoration Plans
Lordship Rec has suffered from a lack of resources and under usage, but since 2002 there has been an increase in partnership working between park users, the Friends of Lordship Rec, community organisations and the council to set out a strategy for the Rec and encourage investment. This resulted in the park being awarded the Green Flag Award in 2013, the national accolade awarded to parks with excellent standards.
In summer 2009, the council invested in a new playground with funding from the Big Lottery and the Marathon Trust and in 2010, a new natural play scheme was built around the playground thanks to funding from the Playbuilder scheme.
In September 2010, Haringey Council was awarded a significant capital investment from the Heritage Lottery Fund to implement a series of agreed redevelopment and improvement plans. Further match funding has been provided by the council, the Greater London Authority and the Environment Agency to help fund the redevelopment of the park. During 2011/2012 construction works have helped to transform the park providing new facilities and improvements such as:
- Restoration of the River Moselle
- New Eco-Hub with public toilets and café
- Restoration of the Model Traffic Area
- Restoration of the Shell Theatre
- New looping bike track
- New information/community shop
- Significant re-landscaping works including new pathways, lighting, furniture and new trees and meadow areas
Community Groups
There are a number of community groups regularly active in Lordship Rec. Below are some examples of these groups and their activities. Some are long-standing and others have recently formed.
Friends of Lordship Rec
The Friends of Lordship Rec (external link) formed in 2001 as a group of local residents dedicated to protecting and improving Lordship Rec. The Friends organise monthly drop-ins for all park users, meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month at 2pm in the Eco-Hub.
Contact details of other groups in the park such as the Woodland and Wildlife Groups, Women’s Association of Lordship Rec, Lordship Sports and Activities Consortium, the Tottenham Bike Club, Rockstone Foundation, Broadwater United FC, can be found on Friends of Lordship Rec (external link).
Friends of Harmony Gardens
The Friends of Harmony Gardens formed in 2012 and work in partnership with Back2Earth to maintain and support the Harmony Gardens with a view to establishing an environment where local and/or like-minded people can come and share skills and knowledge and provide training in horticulture, food growing, garden and tool maintenance.
If you would like to join their activities or just find out more about this groups please email foharmonygardens@gmail.com or join them on:
Shell Performing Arts Collective
The SPAC is a group made up of local residents. Their aim is to increase the use of the theatre and support people from the local community to develop activities in this space; plus encourage schools and colleges to perform and hold award ceremonies. Recent events organised by SPAC have been an International Music Festival, Blokorama (Steel Pan Extravaganza), Jazz Fest and working with another park group, Lordship Sports and Activities Consortium to put on music at a Youth Festival.
For more information:
- contact the Chair via email shell@lordshiprec.org.uk
- join them on Facebook - the shell at the rec (external link)
Lordship Hub
Lordship Hub, or The Hub as it is locally known, is in the centre of the park and is home to a community café, toilets and rooms available to hire. It is managed by Lordship Rec Eco Hub Co-operative Ltd and run on a day to day basis by a dedicated team of volunteers, supported by a small staff group. The Hub is a base for all the other parks groups and supports their work, it is also used on a daily basis by a wide variety of private users to run fitness classes, like Yoga and Capoeira or for art sessions and training.
For more information and timetable of events and activities:
- Email hello@lordshiphub.org.uk
- Web www.lordshiphub.org.uk
- Tel 020 8885 5684
Other Groups
For more information regarding other park groups, or if you would like to know more about getting involved, please submit an enquiry using our park e-form, or see the Friends of Lordship Rec website (external link)
