Burgess Park

Burgess Park in Camberwell has been the subject of much controversy since its construction began in the 1970s. The site it now occupies previously contained housing and industrial buildings, all of which were demolished; while some of these buildings had suffered heavy damage during World War II, many homes were in adequate condition and were bulldozed nonetheless. To add to its problems, the park has never been completed and there are unfinished roads and pathways waiting to be grassed over. For this reason the park regularly comes up in council meetings with new proposals to re-build, develop extra housing, transport links, etc. Problems aside, it is one of the largest parks in inner London and was developed to provide a green space in an otherwise built up area. The park contains a lake and an area devoted to plants and trees from around the world, which includes African, Islamic and Caribbean gardens; the annual Latin celebration Carnaval del Pueblo also takes place here. Fishing permits can be sought, and sporty visitors can make use of the football pitch, cricket pitch, tennis courts and cycle track, while kids have a playground to mess around in once they get bored of feeding the ducks.