Tucked between the Wellington Estate and Regent’s Canal, the Canal Club at Waterloo Gardens has served Bethnal Green residents since 1978.
Run by volunteers, the site is home to a community centre, playground, ball cage and an award-winning garden, and hosts a seven-day programme ranging from toddler storytelling and Tai Chi to a fortnightly food pantry.
The site is one of 37 pieces of council-owned land brought forward under Tower Hamlets Council’s Accelerated Housing Programme, which aims to deliver up to 3,332 new homes.
More than 1,000 people have signed a petition calling for it to be removed from the scheme. Campaigners say they support new council housing but not on the estate’s only shared green space.
Residents and volunteers James Brown and Sooni explained what the Canal Club means to them.
Watch the full story below.
Feature image: Samia Uddin
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