Improvements made to much loved Fitzrovia park
Camden council has celebrated the official reopening of Crabtree Fields, located in Fitzrovia, following restoration of this much-loved park.
The reopening saw Mary Peretz and Gary Sollof – Co-chairs of Friends of Crabtree Fields cut the ceremonial ribbon to the park ahead of an afternoon of children’s activities, volunteer opportunities and community stalls.
Crabtree Fields is a leafy pocket, which was created in the 1980s on the site of a former car park after the award of a grant from the Greater London Council. It was an early example of turning car parks into parks, which continues to inspire us today.
Crabtree Fields has long been valued for its biodiversity and quiet respite. However recently, it has been in need of some TLC to bring it back to its former glory and encourage more residents and visitors to spend time there.
In 2023 we launched a community engagement and co-design process through workshops and surveys, to ensure the sensitive restoration of the park.
This £344,000 project is part of our Green Space Investment Programme that has seen the council invest over £12m in our parks and green spaces since 2020.
Key elements of the restoration include:
- The old central wooden pergola and its climbing plants have been replaced with a more streamlined, metal framed pergola, featuring more suitable climbing plants for improved visibility and easier maintenance.
- Hedges along the perimeter have been reduced to help improve site lines, new colourful and more diverse planting has been planted along with three new trees.
- The children’s playground has been reinstated and now has new swings, trampolines, a climbing frame and spinning dish.
- Walkways and entrances have been widened and railings along Whitfield Street have been replaced to further improve visibility through the site.