From Wasteland to Playground: Lee Valley Regional Park at 50

Fifty years ago the Lee Valley was bleak, neglected and scarred by decades of industry. The desolation was so great that Parliament created Britain’s first regional park, and after five decades of transformation, Lee Valley Regional Park is now a major visitor destination attracting more than seven million visits a year.

This exhibition tracks the evolution of this 26 mile long “green wedge” which is now a tapestry of world-class open spaces, wildlife habitats and award winning sports venues, including three London 2012 venues.

The exhibition accompanies a new book From Wasteland to Playground: Lee Valley Regional Park at 50 by Professor Tony Travers of the London School of Economics. The book uncovers 50 years of rich history – which ultimately saw the Lee Valley transformed from a former industrial wasteland into a “green wedge” for London and the South East, with places for leisure and recreation, sports, heritage and a regenerated piece of city.