London gained a new riverside park yesterday with the opening of the refurbished and redesigned Potters Fields Park, the public area that sits between Tower Bridge and City Hall on the Southbank of the Thames.
Costing almost £3 million the project is the result of a a partnership with Southwark Council, Pool of London Partnership, and More London as part of the Mayor’s 100 Public Spaces programme which aims to deliver high quality, well-designed public spaces and a better quality of life for Londoners.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said the space had been “transformed” to create “a much better public space for the local community in Southwark, people working in the area and visitors. Although there were calls for the area to be turned into a multi-storey car park, I think this much-improved green space is a genuine addition to the area for locals and visitors alike.”
Nick Stanton, leader of Southwark Council said the authority was “proud to be principal funder of the redevelopment of Potters Fields” describing the project as “another important milestone in the regeneration of Southwark.”
The reopening of the green space, set against the backdrop of some of the world’s most iconic buildings, is being marked with Potters Fields Park, A Grand Opening, a three day festival, which runs until to Saturday 19 May.
The free event is open to all and features installations, street theatre, aerial performance and music, taking inspiration from the area’s historic association with the pottery industry whilst responding to the improved surroundings.
