Celebrating our award-winning parks and open spaces

This year, we’re proud to have carried out a number of improvements to our parks and gardens based on resident feedback, making these important community spaces more welcoming and inclusive. 

We're also honoured to have achieved recognition for our parks and open spaces across London and the UK. 

Facilities enhancement 

Richmond upon Thames is fortunate to be home to many parks and open spaces that benefit the health and wellbeing of our communities. Throughout 2024, we’ve used local feedback to continue enhancing these spaces for everyone. 

Our Youth Engagement study in 2023 showed that young people enjoy parks for fitness and socialising. In response to the call for more sports and fitness facilities, we have installed electric charging bikes in Kings Field, with two outdoor gyms having been just installed at Cambridge Gardens and Barn Elms South side. 

Increased football provision has been created at Murray Park for youth and girls’ football. 

In addition to outdoor gyms, we also installed a new ‘dog-dip’ at Kneller Gardens in Twickenham, providing safe and sustainable access to the Duke of Northumberland’s River for both dogs and people. 

Good Parks for London 2024 

We’re very proud to have placed fifth overall in this year’s Good Parks for London report, and first for Customer Satisfaction. 

This biennial assessment evaluates how London borough parks services perform against ten Good Parks criteria. Our parks scored highly in the following categories: 

• Collaboration 
• Heath, fitness and Wellbeing
• Supporting Nature
• Community Involvement 

We also achieved first place for Customer Satisfaction across all parks in London. This commendation was largely led by the Youth Consultation we conducted in 2023, and our 93% General Satisfaction Score achieved in our 2023 Parks Satisfaction Survey. Read the full report

Green Flag Awards

This summer, our borough was additionally recognised for its open spaces, gardens and heritage sites by being awarded 22 prestigious Green Flag Awards. 

Friendly Parks for All

Our Friendly Parks for All scheme is making our parks and open spaces more accessible. The scheme is being developed in six parks: Barnes Green, Cambridge Gardens, Carlisle Park, Ham Village Green, Heathfield Recreation Ground, and Kneller Gardens.

It includes additional seating, improved paths, entrance/exit markers, and sensory trails to enhance navigation and user experience. The project also features Act of Kindness benches to encourage conversations between park users. You can get involved by joining one of our activities from accessible and wellbeing walks, sensory trails, inclusive litter picks and all ability cycling sessions. 

Upcoming parks improvements and conservation

Our borough is renowned for having some of the highest quality open space in London, and we are dedicated to continual improvement and conservation. Find out more about the upcoming projects designed to enhance our parks and open spaces, as well as the ways you can help preserve our natural environment.