Every £1 spent on maintenance at West Ham Park delivers £11.70 in public benefits, writes Joseph Smith
A new report has revealed that West Ham Park is worth £9.9 million every year in benefits to society, with a present value of £288.5 million over 50 years.
West Ham Park – the largest park in Newham – is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation as a registered charity.
The park is a Grade II listed site and part of a network of 11,000 acres of internationally important open spaces managed by the City Corporation across London and southeast England.
The report, produced by Natural Capital Solutions, calculated the value of the benefits the City Corporation’s open spaces deliver to the public, including West Ham Park, Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath, looking at features such as recreation, health and wellbeing, and air quality.
West Ham Park has 12 tennis courts, three cricket nets, football pitches and a grass running track used by local schools for sports days during the summer months. There is a large children’s playground – which recently underwent a £750,000 investment project – as well as a bandstand, historic ornamental gardens, and a community vegetable garden. The park attracts 2.2 million visitors each year – the equivalent of 35 times the capacity of London’s Olympic stadium in nearby Stratford.
The park provides important wildlife habitats, including wildflower meadows, long grass areas, gardens, and ponds, and supports a wide range of breeding birds.
The report also found that West Ham Park delivers a benefit-to-cost ratio of 11.7, which means that every £1 spent on maintenance delivers £11.70 in public benefits.
The garden has won a number of awards including best category for large parks in London in Bloom.
Chair of the City Corporation’s West Ham Park committee, Caroline Haines, said: “West Ham Park has been a vibrant and beautiful place for the local community to enjoy for nearly 150 years.
“The original Upton House estate was acquired in 1762 by philanthropist, Dr John Fothergill. Some of the trees he planted can still be seen in the park today, including a Ginkgo Biloba, one of the oldest species in the UK.
“It has been managed by the City Corporation since 1874 and today offers a place to relax, learn and socialise, surrounded by amazing plants and trees which are stunning all year round.
“The immense history and connection that local people have with West Ham Park is immeasurable, but the figures in this report speak for themselves and show that every penny invested is worth it. “It also places even greater emphasis on making sure it remains a key part of the community for hundreds more years to come.”
Joseph Smith is media officer for public services with the City of London Corporation.
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