Five of Harrow’s parks have been highlighted as among the best green and open spaces in the country, as they were honoured with Green Flag Awards.
Canons Park, Harrow Recreation Ground, Roxeth Recreation Ground, Pinner Memorial Park and Kenton Recreation Ground were all awarded the accolade recently.
The Green Flag Awards scheme is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
After 18 months that have seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely, the news that five of the Borough’s parks have achieved the Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work and dedication of the Council’s dedicated team that make green spaces great spaces that everyone can enjoy.
Managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, Green Flag recognises and rewards the best green and open spaces in the country.
Having Green Flag status ensures the high level of quality against which our parks and green spaces are measured and is seen as a way of encouraging high environmental standards.
Grade II-listed Canons Park includes The King George V Memorial Garden, a walled garden, which was originally part of the duke’s kitchen gardens and was re-designed in the 1930s, once the park became open to the public.
Harrow Recreation Ground provides excellent sports facilities including cricket squares, football pitches, a bowling green, tennis courts and a basketball court and is home to Harrow Bowls Club, one of the largest Middlesex bowls clubs with an affiliation to national, county and district associations.
Roxeth Recreation Ground has a number of features including a children’s playground, green gym, tennis, football and cricket facilities.
Pinner Memorial Park includes a bowling green and a pond with ducks and geese and a small aviary of budgerigars. An ornamental ‘Peace Garden’ also provides a quiet place to sit and relax.
Kenton Recreation Ground includes sporting facilities, including basketball and cricket and is home to a BMX track that opened last year.
Cllr Varsha Parmar, Environment Portfolio Holder, said: “I am thrilled that once again the Borough’s wonderful parks have been recognised with this prestigious accolade. It is a real honour and shows the richness in our green spaces.
“As well as being important hubs for exercise, relaxation and boosting mental and physical health, our parks and green spaces are at the forefront of our efforts to increase biodiversity and tackle climate change.
“Our parks team has done a fantastic job in keeping these green spaces to such a high standard, many congratulations to them on this fantastic achievement.”
Paul Todd, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making Harrow’s five green spaces worthy of Green Flag Awards.”
“To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is testament to the hard work of the staff and volunteers who do so much to ensure that the parks have high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and are places that support people to live healthy lives.”
