Ebb & Flow by the ‘much-needed community space’

SCHOOLCHILDREN helped to design a towering new mural unveiled this week as part of a major revamp of a canal-side open space.

Year 6 pupils from Queen’s Park Primary School joined a workshop on the Ebb & Flow project with Leeds-based artist Freddie Denton, who was commissioned as part of a £2.5million project by Westminster City Council and the Mayor of London.

The Harrow Road Open Space, rebranded as Queen’s Park Canalside, has new seating, lighting, play features, and wildlife habitats.

Artist Freddie Denton at work on the artwork

Mr Denton, 31, told Extra: “The session with the Year 6s kick-started the project. It was inspired directly by them and made sure there was that community participation. ‘Ebb and Flow’ came up top by the kids, based on my prompts of words from nature. The children all did little designs which I scaled up and made into collages to incorporate within the mural, using images of local flora and fauna. It was wicked, a really nice project to do.”

Mr Denton has worked on 15 large scale artworks across the country but the council commission is his first of this kind in the capital.

The mural and new-look canal-side

He said: “It’s been a real privilege to work closely with the Queen’s Park community and Westminster Council on this project. From the outset, the aim was to create something thoughtful, uplifting, and rooted in the character of the place. It’s a statement piece but also an open-ended graphic combining nature and the urban area.

“I hope the mural offers a positive moment of beauty and reflection for everyone who passes through for many years to come.”

The opening event with city councillors

Council cabinet member for planning and economic development Geoff Barraclough said: “Queen’s Park Canalside is a much-needed community space and this transformation will help bring residents together in a more pleasant and easily accessible small park.

“From new ramps to improved play areas, this project is a great example of how we are working with local residents to design public spaces that meet their needs and celebrate the area’s heritage. All residents of Westminster deserve a safe and welcoming place to call home, and I’m glad to see that vision taking place here in Queen’s Park.”

The refurbishment involved 90 community members and was supported by Yes Makes, a regeneration-focused design company.