A team of volunteers joined forces over the weekend to help turn a stretch of disused council land from an “unsightly dump” into a small park and allotment space.
The clean-up group met for the second time on Sunday to get their hands dirty at the abandoned site in Netherwood Street, West Hampstead.
More than 20 volunteers helped remove 75 bags of waste, along with dumped carpets, tyres, and a patio umbrella. The group even discovered a bog, said to emanate from one of the hidden rivers running underneath (The Westbourne River).
It comes after years of campaigning by the West Hampstead and Gardens Residents Association (WHGARA) to clear the strip.
WHGARA chair Brigid Shaughnessy said: “It was a real success. The community really rallied behind it and we are hopeful that it can be restored as a creative new green space for residents.”
The clean-ups are supported by local charity the Camden Green Gym and local councillors.
Cllr Phil Rosenberg, representative for West Hampstead and helping in the clean-up, said: “Not only is this project reclaiming an illegal dumping-ground and turning it in to a micro-park, and not only is it bringing local people together, but now it is uncovering the area’s secret natural features. I call it ‘the Great West Hampstead Bog Off’.”
The third round of the clean-up will take place tomorrow (May 14), between 11am and 2pm. After that, interested parties will be invited to envision what this new space might become.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here