Metropolitan Police Safer Park
Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
For years, the old tea room pavilion located by the Home Park Road entrance to the park had been derelict. Originally built in the 1920s during the time that the tennis courts were laid out, over time the need for the tea room vanished and it had been occasionally used by different groups while it continued to deteriorate.
Rescue came when the Metropolitan Police developed the Safer Neighbourhood Team approach toward localising police work. The Met took over the pavilion, completely restored the building and located the Safer Neighbourhood Teams for both Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon Village Wards. The result upon Wimbledon Park was almost instantaneous with a reduction in anti-social behaviour and local crime.
The feeling of well being amongst the mums and dads, who with their young children who play in Wimbledon Park, has been reinforced by the close proximity of the SNT office being located in the park. This became even more apparent when during height of the August 2011 troubles in London, the park became particularly busy on the Tuesday. When the Elisabeth Pool operator asked a dad why so many people were coming here? The answer was 'because it is safe.'
Please help keep Wimbledon Park tidy by using the litter bins.
