Investing in sustainable education and wellbeing: Transformative upgrades at Paddington Recreation Ground
- New facilities to provide local schoolchildren with access to outdoor learning
- £195k investment in tennis courts, £80k gym refurbishment and £20k for new playground equipment among the recent improvements to leisure facilities
Westminster City Council has celebrated the official launch of the refurbished Forest School at Paddington Recreation Ground.
The Forest School provides children of inner-city schools the opportunity to engage in outdoor learning, something they would otherwise have very limited experience of. The facility has proved so popular that an extension was required, and the Forest Gardens currently offers a mix of education and intrigue with its information boards, windy paths and biodiversity.
The facilities have been used by nearly 3,000 children from 11 Westminster schools this year so far.
A key feature of the expansion is the new sustainable classroom, located near the Forest Garden and Bluebell Glade. Constructed using recycled materials repurposed from an old cycle storage unit from Queen Mother Sports Centre, this innovative structure significantly reduces the project’s carbon footprint while providing a dedicated learning space for children to engage with nature in more extreme weather conditions.
Other improvements at Paddington Recreation Ground include an £80k refurbishment of the gym, a community suite upgrade featuring new equipment, flooring and paintwork, and the £195k tennis courts refurbishment. Following the successful refurbishment of the astroturf tennis courts, the synthetic surface tennis courts were also due a full refurbishment, this is because it became worn and with water not draining properly anymore.
These investment has ensured the council can continue to provide world class facilities for residents and local communities.
Works have also undertaken to the main pathways around the grounds to improve accessibility for those with disabilities, repair tree root damage, and increase permeability to reduce ponding, flooding and waterlogging.
On top of these capital works, the council continue to make improvements and repairs as needed such as the new self-closing gates in the playground, £20k in new playground equipment and repairs, and additional bike racks to promote greener transport to the grounds, among many others.
Paddington Recreation Ground is an award winning leisure facility, retaining the Green Flag Award, The London In Bloom award – Gold, and a Quest Excellent award in the past year.
Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Cara Sanquest, said:
“Paddington Recreation Ground is a fantastic, award-winning Westminster facility. I hope these upgrades not only encourage more residents to take advantage of what’s available but also enhance the experience for those who already use their local facilities. I'm so pleased that our new expanded forest school will means that local children will be able to explore learning outdoors.
The ActiveWestminster Discount Pass - ActiveWestminster is free for all residents, providing fantastic discounts of up to 40% off and benefits for all our residents, and children and young people who live or study in Westminster.
For more information on Paddington Recreation Ground visit: Paddington Recreation Ground | Gym & Fitness Classes | Everyone Active
Published: 6 March 2025
