The money will be spent on updating and developing playgrounds in our parks, including Hammersmith Park, Wormwood Scrubs, Margravine Gardens and Bishops Park, and in our housing estates. It's part of our work to make H&F the best borough to grow up in.
As well as new, modern play equipment the work also includes replacing Ravenscourt Park's paddling pool with a state-of-the-art water play area – similar to the splashpad already in place in Bishops Park.
This will be designed in collaboration with a new Play Forum of volunteers from the local community. Keep an eye on our website for details on how to join.
The improvement project was agreed at Monday's (15 September) full cabinet meeting. Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of H&F Council, said about the project:
Children should have the best possible play facilities. We think learning through play and play through the sheer joy of life is an important thing and that's what is behind this paper.
"But I want to stress it is just the start and in coming years we're going to be putting a lot more investment into our parks, to put very good play facilities all over the borough."
Working with residents
The project has been praised by Hammersmith resident and mother Clementine Wallop, 41, who has been advocating for improved playgrounds in H&F.
Speaking at the meeting on Monday evening, she said:
"The difference that this [funding] makes to children's mental health, to children's physical health, to maternal mental health, is enormous. So thank you very, very much indeed. This is a joyful and brilliant thing to be doing."
"Every parent knows which boroughs prioritise play. – and now we get to be on that list. And the idea that people would get on a bus and come to Hammersmith & Fulham because we have the best playgrounds, that's really exciting."
We're committed to doing things with residents not to them and this includes shaping the future of our parks. Earlier this year we created a new Parks Forum made up of volunteers who live or work in H&F and who want to help our Parks Team improve our green spaces.
Residents can also get involved in park improvements by telling us how we can upgrade Bishops Park's skatepark through our online consultation.
It's part of our ongoing work at Bishops Park – including repairs to the Thames pathway railings and replacing and restoring the park's iconic balustrades.
Supporting our parks
Our playground improvement works are just part of our ongoing mission to care for the borough's parks and green spaces.
In July, 25 of our parks were recognised by Keep Britain Tidy as being some of the best in the world with prestigious Green Flag awards. The awards recognised four more sites than last year – Eelbrook Common, Vicarage Gardens, Marcus Garvey Park and St Paul's Church and Open Space.
Over the last four years we've completed a £3.6million investment project to improve our parks. And earlier this year we committed to spending a further £1.1million on the borough's green spaces between 2025 and 2027.
This funding will focus on improving all aspects of our parks, including new planting and updated footpaths, lighting, bins and signage.
