Bow Creek Ecology Park
{{Short description|Park in Newham, East London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
File:Bow Creek Ecology Park.jpg
File:Bow Creek Ecology Park, Canning Town - geograph.org.uk - 441269.jpg
Bow Creek Ecology Park is a small open space along Bow Creek tidal estuary of the River Lea in Canning Town in Newham, in east London. It is operated by the regional Lee Valley Park system.
Description
Bow Creek Ecology Park is a small park running alongside and underneath the Docklands Light Railway near Canning Town Station.{{cite news|last=Hopkirk|first=Elizabeth|title=The inner city turns green|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23517209-the-inner-city-turns-green.do|accessdate=25 November 2010|newspaper=London Evening Standard|date=17 July 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610094734/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23517209-the-inner-city-turns-green.do|archivedate=10 June 2011|df=dmy-all}} The Bow Creek reach of the lower River Lea is a tidal estuary here in Lower Lea Valley.
The park features small streams and ponds, an outdoor classroom, footpaths, observation points, and seating. It is an important resource for local education.{{cite web|url=http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/GreenFlag/GreenFlagAwardSites/London/Default.aspx?parkID=516|title=Bow Creek Ecology Park - Green Flag Award|publisher=Keep Britain Tidy|accessdate=14 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718193637/http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/GreenFlag/GreenFlagAwardSites/London/Default.aspx?parkID=516|archive-date=18 July 2011|url-status=dead}}
History
The park was created by the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) in 1994, after a survey identified rare and unusual plant species in the area, some presumed carried in by shipping, such as Hairy Buttercup (Ranunculus sardous), Walthamstow Cress, and Unreel's Wormwood.{{cite web|url=http://www.royaldockstrust.org.uk/rdhist.htm#Bow|title=Royal Docks Trust|accessdate=14 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811111533/http://www.royaldockstrust.org.uk/rdhist.htm#Bow|archive-date=11 August 2017|url-status=dead}}
The park was officially opened in 1996 by Eastenders actress Michelle Collins for BBC Education programme "Science Zone".{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRqLRy3Xe_I|title=1996sciencezone|website=YouTube|date=22 February 2013 }}
The Park has won a Green Flag Award for the fourth year in 2010,{{cite web|url=http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/en/Default.aspx?n1=3&n2=65&n3=70|title=Bow Creek Ecology Park|publisher=Lee Valley Regional Park|accessdate=14 November 2010}} and was also nominated for the UK Landscape Award 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.uklandscapeaward.org/entries/showentry.php?entry=101|title=UK Landscape Award 2010|accessdate=14 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110214194427/http://www.uklandscapeaward.org/entries/showentry.php?entry=101|archive-date=14 February 2011|url-status=dead}}
References
External links
- [http://www.visitleevalley.org.uk/en/content/cms/nature/nature-reserve/bow-creek/ Lee Valley Park: Bow Creek Ecology Park website]
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Category:Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Newham
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