Ladywell Fields has undergone extensive redevelopment over the last couple of years and its full majesty is now ready to be experienced, petanque and all. Lewisham Council writes:
Lewisham residents are invited to Ladywell Fields on Saturday 28 May to enjoy a range of free activities between 12-3pm .
The event marks the completion of the park's regeneration. Following the QUERCUS project in 2008 which helped revive the northern part of Ladywell Fields, Lewisham Council managed to secure £1.94m from the London Development Agency in 2009 to revitalise the central and southern parts of the park. Some eighteen months later, all the work has now been finished.
Amongst the events taking place on 28 May are:
- Lewisham's Mayor Sir Steve Bullock to open the regenerated park
- New adventure playground to be unveiled by Lewisham's Mayor. Funded by the Big Lottery, this giant timber structure will provide supervised active fun for 5-16 year olds and will be open Tuesdays - Sundays
- River Ravensbourne nature wades and Ladywell Fields wildlife walks, organised by staff from Lewisham Council's Rivers and People project
- River dipping - see what you can catch! Equipment and help with identification of species provided
- Opening of new 1 mile Walk4Life route. Try out the route with volunteers and staff from Lewisham Healthy Walks
- Nordic walking taster sessions, organised by Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust
- Free tennis coaching 1-2.30pm
- Bouncy castles and face painting
- Food and drinks stalls
- Ladywell Fields bowling club open day 12-3pm
- Ladywell Youth Village skating dance performance at 1.30 and 2pm
The park's regeneration has focused largely on revealing the park’s greatest natural asset – the River Ravensbourne. The Council has in particular concentrated on:
- Improving biodiversity and access to the river, including building a series of timber viewing platforms along the riverside and a number of new paths and bridges
- There is now an abundance of coarse fish, including roach, dace and chub, and bird life, with herons and ducks inhabiting the river
- Improving the quality of the the river, with new meanders, pebble ‘beach’ areas, deeper pools and backwaters
- Work to existing and new entrances, to connect residential areas with the green space
- Installing new lighting and street furniture to help make the park more user-friendly and accessible
- Planting an orchard for community use
In addition, sports and leisure facilities in the park have been improved:
- A new children's playground is now open at the Catford end of the park
- the tennis courts at the northern and southern ends of the park have been resurfaced
- three petanque (boules) pitches have been installed
- a Walk4Life one mile signed walking/running route around the park has been created new signage has been installed for the Waterlink Way which is part of the National Cycle Network and in Lewisham runs from Deptford Creek to Beckenham Place, following the Ravensbourne River
