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Parks and Open Spaces

Stepping to the Beat on Monday 4th Sep 2023

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Stepping to the Beat - the 3km walk, jog or run event taking place on Sep 4 2023

Stepping to the Beat  is a 3km jog, run or wheel event for residents with learning disability/autism, families and support workers.

The new edition this year will take place on Monday 4th September at the usual location, Regents Park.

Stepping to the Beat 2022

The course is set to 3km that participants can walk, run or wheel while playing instruments and sounds.  The event, in its consecutive 11th year, is an inclusive and welcoming event that encourages those with physical and learning disabilities to be more physically active. The event includes making sounds and noises as we go through the park. The Beat is contagious. The atmosphere, soul lifting.

Stepping to the Beat was created over 10 years ago and developed and directed by Claudia Linton, Care Manager – Planning & Information Coordinator from the Westminster Learning Disability Partnership Adult Services. This event has quickly become a celebration, a life-affirming, music-based event the Adult Social care team in Westminster City Council and ActiveWestminster are massively proud of.

If you would like more information, please email Claudia Linton

Refurbishment of Academy Sport Two Multi-Use Games Areas and Skate Park

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MUGAs and Skate Park at Westminster Academy will be closed from the 11th Sep for improvement works

Westminster City Council has set to refurbish the skate park fencing and resurface the two outdoor macadam multi-use games areas (MUGA) located beneath the Westway Flyover at Torquay Street, off Harrow Road, W2.

Existing Skate Park and MUGAs

The MUGAs are enclosed by 3m high fencing to the north, east and west and a 4m fence to the south. The two MUGAs are surfaced with macadam and marked for basketball and football. The MUGA currently has no lighting. The skate park fencing currently consists of a 1m-1.23m brick wall with a 1m partial fence above this. The fence is currently on the northern side of the skate park only.

The MUGA fencing, and goal units are now outdated. The existing mesh fence panels are loose in some places which can cause finger traps for users. The MUGAs do not have any gates and therefore are open to misuse and vandalism at night. 

Skate park view
IMG_2530
westminster academy under the bridge
skate park view
westminster park map
skate park under the bridge area
basketball court
basketball court and graffiti
skate park area under the bridge

Improvement Works                                      

The existing fencing system will be removed as part of the refurbishment and replaced with a 5m high rebound sports fence with lockable gates. Fencing will provide security and the ability to stop balls from going outside of the facility. The new fence will be green to match the existing fence.

The MUGAs currently do not have any gates. The new fencing system will include 2 single gates on each MUGA in the current location of the MUGA entrances.

The skate park fencing will be a 3.6m prison mesh fencing system to match the Westminster Academy carpark fence. The fence will run along the Torquay Street side of the skate park and be attached to the pavement directly in front of the brick wall. The fence will include a 1.2m wide single gate in the western entrance of the skate park.

The Skatepark

The skate park fencing is also in poor condition. Majority of the fence panels are missing and there is no lockable gate, allowing the skate park to be vandalised and used for anti-social behaviour.

Design Plan

work improvements diagram

Time Scale

We aim to complete all the construction of works within eight to ten weeks provided there are no unforeseen difficulties or adverse weather.

If you would like more information, please contact us 

Update 1 August on the improvements works in Paddington Recreation Ground

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Update 1 August on the improvements works in Paddington Recreation Ground

The maintenance and improvement works keep progressing well. Here is the latest update for the following weeks.

  • The bark replenishment works along one section of the Environmental area is almost completed which includes the Forest and Wood Chip path.
  • The other path work on gravel and shrubs will start this week
  • Final planting will commence early next week.
  • The Pebble and Pond path is finished and planted up with new boulders and plants.
  • All fencing work has been completed.
  • The Pond works are likely to start in September. 

* Please note that all dates are inclusive and weather dependant.

Celebrating Love Parks week 28th Jul – 6th Aug – Enjoy Westminster Parks and Green Spaces

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Celebrating Love Parks - Access for All

Love Parks week is an annual campaign from KeepBritainTidy.org celebrating parks, green spaces, and the dedicated volunteers and workers that look after them all year round. This year, Love Parks week runs from 28 July to 6 August.

Our urban parks are the visible public front line. A place for all communities to gather, socialise, play, join in with activities and events, or find a quiet space to read or relax. Our urban parks should be safe and secure, encouraging everyone to get outside and find nature.
Yet there are times when lack of good access or a feeling of safety are two areas that discourage users. This is where Westminster City Council’s parks and leisure teams are positively focusing their efforts and projects in some key areas for improvement.

Kids walking in a park - poster

Making space for women and girls

There has been a push nationally to improve open spaces to enable women and girls to feel safe when using our parks and recreation services. Surveys have shown that women and girls are actively avoiding our green spaces having experienced harassment, misogyny and bullying behaviour. Westminster City Council are making it a priority to bring women and girls into the heart of new open space design processes. One, to ensure that infrastructure is welcoming and inviting and two, that there are new dedicated spaces that have been designed for use by women and girls.

At Westbourne Green Open Space we are working with women and girls in the local community, parks designers and Make Space for Women and Girls to bring together a new leisure area for their use. Ideas include an area to hang out designed by teenage girls and outdoor gym equipment facing each other. The journey through the park is also being looked at to see if sightlines can be improved. We are at the early stages in the project designing a consultation to bring women and girls into the heart of the design process.

Inclusive City – inclusive access for all

Westminster City Council has recognised the importance of ensuring inclusive access for all parts of the community. To this end we embed accessibility and inclusivity as two key factors in all our parks and leisure projects with designers required to consider all aspects as part of the design evaluation process.

At Pimlico Gardens we are currently drawing together the communities’ input to improve the gardens infrastructure to create a new community hub area sitting beside the river. Options include a new café, a new viewing platform to the river with ramped access, new play provision, outdoor furniture and new signage. In all areas of the new design inclusive access will be the primary function ensuring all audiences will be able to use the new facilities.

So, whatever the weather, go outdoors and read, walk, exercise, relax, meet, play or just enjoy nature.

Update 3 July on the improvements works in Paddington Recreation Ground

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Update 3 July on the improvements works in Paddington Recreation Ground

The maintenance and improvement works keep progressing well. Here is the latest update for the following weeks.

  • Week commencing 3rd July
    • Continuation of surfacing (all week)
    • Forest Play will fully close from Monday 3rd July to Monday 10th July
    • Pavilion Changing Rooms will have restricted access from Thursday 6th July to Thursday 20th July
    • Infant side of the playground closed  from Tuesday 4th July until Friday 21st July 
  • Week commencing 10th July
    • Further work in the infant play area will be underway, but only the side of the ship will be closed from  Monday 10th July to Wednesday 13th July
    • Monday 10th July complete tree house area re open on the same day
    • Tuesday 11th July start on infant area swing and roundabout
    • Thursday 13th July base up train station section
  • Week commencing 17th July
    • Monday 17th July to Wednesday 19 July surfacing to install
    • Thursday 20th July final work check and reopening of the area

* Please note that all dates are inclusive and weather dependant.

Drop-in Sessions for the Pimlico Gardens Consultation scheduled for 5th July

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Drop-in Sessions for the Pimlico Gardens Consultation scheduled for 5th July

Phase 2 of the Pimlico Gardens Consultation aims to hold a series of in-person community drop-in sessions to present the feedback from online survey carried out in Phase 1. 

At the sessions, attendees will hear about the findings and have a further opportunity to feedback any views and comments the local community considers important to the proposed re-development. All the information gathered from the community will inform next steps, with consideration to community need.

Two in-person drop-in sessions are scheduled to take place at Pimlico Library on Wednesday 5th July at the following times:

  • 11.30am until 1.30pm
  • 4pm until 6pm

No booking is required, just come along.

Keep up to date with ActiveWestminster consultations via the new ‘Have your say’ webpage or email us on active@westminster.gov.u

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