£170,000 revamped play area opens in Southfields

The Coronation Gardens play area in Southfields is open following a major refurbishment by Wandsworth Council in partnership with the Wimbledon Foundation.

The £173,000 project has brought not just new play equipment, but also a series of biodiversity improvements, including new planting for pollinators, enhancements to the historic rose garden, and new trees. Information boards have been installed to explain the new planting, and to encourage visitors to support wildlife at home.

Cllr Judi Gasser, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:

“This wonderful new playground reflects an investment to encourage all Wandsworth children to play in our parks.

“The council has committed to its residents to be fairer, more compassionate, and more sustainable in the work that we do. We are delighted to invest in our borough’s children by giving them a safe, accessible, and biodiverse open space to safely play in and explore.”

The completion of the new play area involved two rounds of consultation, ensuring that residents and stakeholders had their voices heard, and that the final space truly reflects the needs of the community.

Cllr Gasser continued: “A special mention must go to the Friends of Coronation Gardens group, whose contributions, from planting bulbs for spring displays to maintaining the tranquil corner garden, are truly commendable.

“It is in no small part thanks to their efforts that Coronation Gardens was also recently the recipient of an internationally recognised Green Flag award, recognising its value to the community, and the high standard to which it is maintained.”

Further work will take place later in the year to refurbish and install a new statue on the garden’s 1904 heritage drinking fountain, in collaboration with the Putney School of Art and Design.

For more information, email: parks@enablelc.org, or you can join the Friends of Coronation Gardens via their website: www.focoronationgardens.co.uk

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