Accompanying article by Freya McCoy.
Freeling Street due to become ‘pocket park’ as part of Greener City fund
The Islington project has received funding from the Mayor of London's £12m Greener City fund. Organisers hope the space will benefit the mental health of visitors.
Freeling Street today. The area will become a permanent green space in north London.
Credit: Samuel Etienne
Freeling Street in Islington is due to be turned into a “pocket park” and members of the public can suggest their own designs for it on the Cultivating Cally website.
Users can submit designs like these for the new park.
Sadiq Khan’s Green City fund aims to make more than half of London “green” by 2050.
The “pocket park” will serve as a permanent green space near Caledonian Road. Cultivating Cally hopes that the park will “benefit residents and aid their mental health, especially now that we’re living in such challenging times.”
Pop-up parks, which are usually used to help nearby urban residents to exercise and relax, will become increasingly important from today. As lockdown restrictions come into effect, it is hoped that many will seek relaxation from this new urban green space.
Lucy Kilbourne lives in Islington and believes the park will benefit the local community:
“It’s important to have more green spaces and a green space, rather than a concrete space is always good. They’re so important for everyone’s mental health. From the five-year-olds to the 85 year olds, it’s a great facility to have.”
Mental health problems were exacerbated for throughout London during the first lockdown. The London Ambulance Service reported a 70% increase in suicide attempts from April to September, a time span which overlaps with the first lockdown. The mental health charity, Mind, also reported a largest increase in calls to their hotline last week.
Islington resident Lucy Kilbourne enjoys spending time in the London’s green spaces, like Thornhill Square. Credit: Samuel Etienne
Ben Coles is Director of development and strategic programmes for the environmental organisation Groundwork. He thinks that the “pocket park” will improve the area’s environment:
“Green spaces are the lungs of our cities. They can help with air quality improvements and help the city become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”
Not everyone is happy about the proposed green space. Yash Ahmed lives in the area. Mr Ahmed believes that Freeling Street should be used for parking spaces:
“The council should turn this into a car park.The council should loosen some parking restrictions so that people can park and do some shopping for 20 minutes, we are no longer living in a free world, we are living in a council police state.”
Mr Ahmed does not believe that the “pocket park” will improve mental health for visitors:
“I doubt that this space is big enough to put greenery, lawns and flower beds here. I don’t think that’s the way to make the people feel happy and comfortable, so as not to have mental distress.”
Despite opposition, plans for the “pocket park” are underway.