Ten years after Crossrail took over the site, Finsbury Circus gardens will be reopening to the public next month.
A temporary lawn will be put in place over the summer while the City’s design team works on redesigning the space to restore the gardens. A design competition was recently announced to support that work.
Measuring just under two acres, Finsbury Circus Gardens is the oldest and the largest public park in the City of London.
In March 2010, Crossrail took over a substantial part of the garden for a works site to drill down 42 metres under London to a section of tunnel between Farringdon and Liverpool Street to create the new Liverpool Street platforms for the Elizabeth line.
Finsbury Circus shaft for Liverpool Street station and platform tunnels in June 2013 (c) Crossrail
Around two-thirds of the garden were occupied for the works, requiring the removal of the bowling green and the historic drinking fountain, which has been moved into temporary storage. The restoration of the park, along with the construction of the replacement pavilion buildings is expected to cost around £5.7 million, with £4.1 million coming from Crossrail.
The shaft itself has been backfilled since main construction finished, so there’s no chance of picnickers on the lawn suddenly finding themselves sitting on the westbound platform.
Liverpool Street station underneath Finsbury Circus (c) Crossrail
The lawn is already there, https://ibb.co/qYRS8Yk. It can be spotted through the hoardings when standing next to the kiosk, on the area that was left open to the public during the works.
What a missed opportunity!
Crazy golf with an oversized obstacle or the easiest hole-in-one on the planet springs to mind.
Or what about an extra long helter-skelter that gives adults the same thrill as when a nipper? I can picture the odd liquid luncher having far too much fun.
this was my last job before i retired, a good bunch of lads, i enjoyed the contract.