Our parks and green spaces are a key resource for our communities, providing vital leisure, recreation and sporting opportunities and the chance to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. As one of London’s most popular parks, Finsbury Park is a special place for many people, and we are working with partners to make sure it remains a vibrant and pleasant place for the enjoyment of all residents.
This page contains information on what is being done to protect and improve the physical environment in Finsbury Park and the surrounding area.
Keeping Finsbury Park tidy
We are incredibly proud of Finsbury Park and are actively working to make sure it is a safe and welcoming space for everyone. The good management of the park has been consistently recognised with a Green Flag award from the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.
Find out how you can report waste and street cleaning issues in the Finsbury Park area.
Environmental Impact Fee funding
Community organisations received over £34,000 in 2023 to improve the environment and facilities in Finsbury Park thanks to a special fund set up by Haringey Council to redistribute income from summer events.
The funding was split between 5 organisations, enabling a wide range of exciting projects in the park, including:
- a 3-day immersive summer festival organised by Furtherfield to celebrate the biodiversity of the park
- an additional cycling instructor for Pedal Power to deliver inclusive cycling sessions for teenagers and adults with learning disabilities
- educational outreach work by Edible Landscapes, whose forest garden in the park will also benefit from new solar heating panels
- works to improve biodiversity and volunteering at the Finsbury Park Sports Partnership
- repairs and improvements to the electronic timing equipment held at the Finsbury Park Track operated by the resident athletics club, London Heathside
The cash comes from a special funding pot which is paid into each year by organisers of large events in the park through the Environmental Impact Fees charged on each event.
In line with Haringey Council’s Outdoor Events Policy, this money is kept separate from other events income and is used to address immediate funding priorities identified by the Friends group of the park in which the money was generated.
The fund has seen over £171,000 invested in community projects in Finsbury Park over the last 5 years – a figure which would be even higher if not for the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which severely limited the scope of summer events in the park in 2020 and 2021.
Cleaning up the New River Walk
Hackney Council conducted an environmental visual audit (EVA) and clean-up along parts of the New River Walk in May 2022 and was able to address environmental crime, littering and dumping of waste in the river.
Hackney Council has invited Friends of Finsbury Park to join them in another EVA and clean-up to include the New River Walk which runs into Finsbury Park.
It is hoped that the clean-up will inspire users to report concerns, pick up any litter and enhance the environment for other users.
