Residents hope that �50,000 of improvements will finally put their park in line for a coveted Green Flag award.

Goodmayes Park, in Green Lane, Goodmayes, has seen a raft of new facilities over the last six months, including a new children’s playground, an orchard, an outdoor gym and a dog-free zone.

The work has seen the Friends of Goodmayes Park, the Goodmayes Residents Association, the Goodmayes Allotment Society and the Al-Noor School, Green Lane, work together with the borough’s parks team and councillors to make a meaningful difference to the site.

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Labour Cllr Ali Hai, one of the driving forces behind the improvements said: “Goodmayes is one of our most prestigious parks in Redbridge and was severely run down for many years. Now it has been restored to its former glory, becoming a real jewel in the south of the borough.”

The funding came from a variety of sources, including residents group, the area committee five and the central council budget.

According to Cllr Hai, the success of the work is down to encouraging young families to the park to drive out antisocial behaviour.

Inpectors will visit the park in June to decide whether or not to award the space with a Green Flag status, the national standard for the quality of parks and open spaces.

Cllr Ali added: “It is clearly now a more family-centred community space and so really hope we will be awarded a Green Flag.”

Goodmayes was not among the four Redbridge parks that were given Safer Park Awards by the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, last month.

The award-winning parks were Valentines Park, Ilford War memorial Gardens, and South Park, all in Ilford, and Elmhurst Gardens, South Woodford.