Parks and Recreation
Okay, so this isn’t Pawnee if you know the American comedy series but it comes pretty close. (I look to camera and pull a face.) Just like that over-used swan analogy, the Lee Valley Park runs a really smooth operation on the surface but underneath…well things can be, shall we say, a bit frantic: a bit political. There are levys that some London boroughs want to stop paying (understand that one ) and then there’s an expectation in terms of legacy from the Olympics that wants a delivery of service that frankly, money can’t afford. It’s funny, well it’s not but that’s how I’m starting this para, that most people wander through the park enjoying the scenery and the wildlife and the amenities without really thinking about the effort and work that goes into making that happen. Nobody has to pay to enter and at no time does someone jump out of a bush asking for a donation (this isn’t the RSPB). There is a task force of people who manage the landscape, run the farms, run events, run mark