Barking Park- An oasis of calm

:: Emdad Rahman::

Barking Park is the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s oldest park, opened in 1898. It consists of nearly 30 hectares consisting of a 910 metre long lake, ornamental areas, tree lined avenues, playing fields and facilities for boating, bowls and football.Barking’s first municipal park was an integral part of the area’s development in the 19th century after the arrival of the railway and the expansion of Barking New Town.It comprised an ornamental garden area, a lake and an amenity grass area fronting Longbridge Road. It contained a bandstand, small central nursery, one bowling green and tennis courts.Park facilities were later expanded in the 1930s to include a Lido and children’s play areas, putting green, central nursery buildings, additional bowling greens, pavilions and lavatories. Several buildings and pavilions were also added, as well as the paddling pool. A large pageant was held at Barking Park in 1936 to celebrate the granting of borough status to Barking.The original Lido was architecturally interesting, following the ‘new international style’. The lake was also enlarged at this time, and a boat hire and a miniature railway were also established. It would appear that the Lido buildings were largely rebuilt in or around the 1960s in a bland utilitarian style.By the 1950s Barking Park was known as the best municipal park in east London, and the Lido and lake were well used, with many local people remembering the ‘Phoenix’ a converted paddle steamer on the lake.Further development occurred in the 1970s with the construction of an Indoor Bowls Centre and Sports Pavilion, the enlarged boat storage sheds on the lakeside and the Parkview Fitness Academy building near the Park Avenue entrance. Since then, many of the facilities, such as the Lido, and the central glasshouse complex in the centre of the park have closed down or been lost, due to changing leisure demands and a reduction in park budgets, a trend that has mirrored national developments.The Park celebrated its centenary in 1998 with a series of events.Barking Park has been described by English Heritage as ‘clearly of local Historical significance’, and according to visitor counters installed at each of the 6 entrances the park attracts over 700,000 visitors each year.Facilities include the Barking and District Indoor Bowls Club – founded in 1965 and the only purpose built indoor bowls facility in the borough, and the Barking Park Light Railway – reopened to the public on 11 April 2009. The railway runs from the main Longbridge road park entrance to the lake, and the quarter of a mile journey takes about 3½ minutes.The Barking Park Education and Outreach Ranger Service organises an interesting and exciting annual program of events and activities including a park open day, play sessions and educational walks and talks.Barking Park also hosts an increasing number of community events each year, coordinated by the borough’s Events Management Team, such as the annual East London Mela, fun fairs, firework display and circus.The park secured £3,254,000 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund in February 2008, under their Public Parks Initiative, for the restoration and improvement of the park, further details of which are given under Heritage Lottery Fund Project.Barking Park Lake and the adjacent ornamental area have been declared a Site of Borough Interest for Nature Conservation (Grade 1) on account of the wildlife found there.The lake contains wildfowl such as Mallard, Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Great crested grebe and little grebe, whilst the ornamental areas contain woodland birds such as Blue Tits, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker and House Sparrows, some of which nest in the False Acacias. In 2008 over 40 species of bird were recorded in the park.A recent study has shown both areas to be good foraging bats, with 7 species recorded in 2008, including Soprano pipistrelle, Common pipistrelle, Nathusius’ pipistrelle, Noctule, Leisler’s, Serotine and Daubenton’s bats.The Barking Park Rangers are currently working with the London Wildlife Trust to organise conservation work days in the park for anyone who would like to carry out some practical work and help create new wildlife areas. Projects are likely to include the creation of a wildflower meadows, creation of a reed bed in a section of lake, installation of bat and bird boxes throughout the park and opening up the circular lake walk.Park Ranger Emma Tuckey said: “Our vision is to bring new life to Barking Park to meet the needs of the local community and provide long-term benefits for park users.“Therefore, one of our key objectives is to involve all sections of the local community in the ongoing management, development and improvement of Barking Park.“We aim to do this by providing a variety of ways for local people to have their say about the park, so that everyone is provided with opportunities to get involved.”If you are interested in making a positive contribution towards the ongoing management and development of the park then why not join the Friends of Barking Park.Emma added: “Friends of Barking Park campaign for and promote Barking Park whilst seeking the opportunity to enjoy the activities and experiences the park has to offer and to enhance the park for the benefit of all.”Although still not formally constituted the current Friends of Barking Park group was formed in 2008 and now consists of approximately 15 regular ‘members’.The Friends meet on the last Wednesday of every month at 7pm in the Park Lodge (adjacent to the Longbridge Road park gates).New members are always welcome so if you are interested in joining please contact Emma Tuckey – Education and Outreach Ranger on 020 8594 3698. Barking Park Manager. Email: emma.tuckey@lbbd.gov.uk