green+spaces+-+local+parks+-+lordship+rec+-+updates+-+festival+08

=**Tottenham residents lay on their own Community Festival **= **- residents underline again their widespread support for the continuing efforts to regenerate the park**
 * - 3,000 participate in a wide range of activities in Lordship Rec, Tottenham's largest park **
 * - event showcases and celebrates the enormous potential of the park **

On Saturday 13th September 2008 around 3,000 local residents attended an afternoon of fun-packed participatory sports, exercise, horticulture, play, arts, nature, leisure and educational activities for all ages in Lordship Recreation Ground, N17 - Tottenham's largest open green space. Activities included: Tottenham Flower & Produce Show, Dog Agility Show, Peace Bikeride, Fun Run, Performance Showcase (in the Community Centre), Pedal-Powered Stage (in the park), Community Kitchen, Rugby Skills Clinic, Football Tournament, Skateboarding/BMXing, Fun Bikes, Pony Rides, Arts and Crafts for U-5s, History Displays, Pond-Dipping & Bug Hunt, Health Checks, Adventure Play, Peace Picnic and Community Stalls

The festival was organised by the Lordship Rec Users Forum, a resident-led coalition of community groups (including the Friends of Lordship Rec and local residents associations), the Council's Parks Dept, Back To Earth local charity, and other concerned organisations.

The aim of the festival was to showcase the park's great potential, and the community's continuing support for the Council's application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for money to regenerate the beautiful but run-down green space. Planned improvements include the restoration of the river and the historic Model Traffic Area, and creation of an environmental centre and a city farm.

The bid has been successful in passing its first and most crucial hurdle - earlier this year £4m of Lottery funding was set aside for the Rec, subject to certain conditions being fulfilled. There is still a long way to go - plans are now being developed in more detail and £2.5m extra match funding being sought. If all goes well the £4m Lottery money will be handed over at the end of 2009 and the long process of implementing and overseeing the improvements will begin. Separate funding sources have enabled some improvements to be completed already, and the children's playground is due to be completely refurbished this winter.

The vision for the regeneration of the Rec has been developed over the last 6 years through the Lordship Rec Users Forum and through public consultation, and the plans were on display for further public comment at the festival.

The incredible range of activities at the festival put on by & for local people throughout the park included:

**- Tottenham Flower & Produce Show,** with displays and competitions for home grown and home made vegetables, fruit, flower-arrangements, cakes, emboidery and much more [organised by Back To Earth] **- Dog training and agility show** and competitions [organised by Lordship Rec Dog Club] **- Peace Bikeride** [organised by Haringey Peace Alliance] **- 1km Fun Run** around the Rec [organised by Haringey Sports Council] **- Performance Showcase**, youth music and dance in the Broadwater Farm Community Centre by the park [organised by ukunsigned and the Centre] **- Freestyle area skateboarding/BMXing**, with scores of casual riders/skaters and expert participants [including a visit from Peckham BMX Club] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Football tournament** for youth teams [organised by Clasford Sterling of Broadwater Farm Community Centre] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Rugby Skills Clinic** [organised by London Skolars] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Cycling activities**, including: specialist bikes for people with mobility difficulties [organised by Brakethru Club based at the Rec], fun bikes for free hire in the Model Traffic Area [organised by Company of Cyclists], and also 'Dr Bike' bike repairs and information [organised by Chestnuts Northside Residents Association, and Haringey Cycling Campaign] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Pony Rides** [organised by Campaign For Riding in Haringey, and Gillian's Riding School] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Arts and Crafts for the Under 5s** [organised by the local Children's Centres] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- History stalls and displays** [organised by Tottenham Civic Society, and Friends of Lordship Rec] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Nature activities**, including pond-dipping, bug hunts, and nature walks and talks around the lake and woodland [organised by Haringey BTCV, and Froglife] and tree information [by Lordship Rec Friends of Graham Lee] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Health-related activities**, including a walk, health checks and advice [organised by Haringey Primary Care Trust] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Children's adventure play activities** [organised by Haringey Play Association] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Peace Picnic** [organised by local SGI buddhist organisation] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Tottenham Food Co-op stall** [organised by Sustainable Haringey Food Group and Back To Earth] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Pedal-powered Impromptu Performance Stage** in the park, for bands and DJing [organised by Back To Earth and Magnificent Revolution] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Community stalls** [including from Broadwater Farm Residents Association, Bruce Grove Residents Network and other residents associations from the surrounding communities, the Broadwater Farm 'Just 4 Girlz' group, Wards Corner Community Coalition, Wood Green Animal Shelter, the local Friends of the Earth group, and from the Friends of Lordship Rec] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Ambulance Service** [organised by local charity, Little Flame] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">**- Information point, and display about Lordship Rec Future Plans** [organised by Friends of Lordship Rec and Haringey Council's Parks Dept]
 * - 2 community cafes** [laid on by the Lordship Rec Mother & Toddler Group in the children's playground, and by Back To Earth at the Broadwater Farm Community Kitchen]

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">" This was our most ambitious and exciting event yet, and provided a fine showcase for the potential of the park and the range of talent in our local communities. The organisations involved in the festival will continue to work together to ensure that the necessary funding is secured to restore and regenerate Tottenham's largest park. " //

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif">- Dave Morris, Chair of the Lordship Rec Users Forum