Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) is a statutory body that is responsible for managing and developing the 26 miles (42 km) long, 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) Lee Valley Regional Park in London, England. The park was established by Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1967. The headquarters of the authority are in Myddleton House, Bulls Cross in the London Borough of Enfield, well-known in the horticultural world for the gardens developed by E.A. Bowles (1865-1954) [1] and still fully maintained and open to the public. [2]
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[edit] History
The idea for a regional park was first suggested by Sir Patrick Abercrombie in his Greater London Plan of 1944. However, the plan remained dormant till 1961, when Alderman Lou Sherman, Mayor of Hackney took up the challenge to regenerate the Lea Valley. He persuaded 17 other local authorities to support him. In 1963 the Civic Trust was invited to make an appraisal of the Valley's resources, their report was positive. A bill was put to Parliament to establish the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. Following Royal Assent to the Lee Valley Regional Park Bill in December 1966, the Authority was formally constituted on 1 January 1967. [3]
[edit] Governance
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority has an appointed board of 28 members. 20 of those are from riparian authorities (those whose borders are crossed by the park's boundaries) and a further eight are appointed through Local Councils to represent the remaining 27 London Boroughs.
Members are elected for a term of appointment of four years and continue in office for that period unless they resign or cease to be a councillor.
The Authority is overseen by an Executive Committee who assist the decision making processes of the board. The six person Executive Committee represents the diverse political and geographic backgrounds of the board, with half the members from London’s 33 boroughs and half from Essex and Hertfordshire.
[edit] 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority are owners of 35% of Olympic Parklands and four Olympic venues – the Lee Valley White Water Centre, the London Velopark and the Hockey and Tennis Centres on the Olympic Park.[4] The Park Authority will operate and fund these venues after the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Paralympics are complete.
[edit] References
- ^ Miles Hadfield (1960) A History of British Gardening
- ^ Mydellton House gardens Retrieved 30 August 2011
- ^ History of the LVRPA Retrieved 25 October 2008
- ^ Eton Manor Retrieved 18 November, 2009
