Weavers Adventure Playground announces revamp as it celebrates its 50th anniversary

Weavers Adventure Playground in Bethnal Green, one of the last four adventure playgrounds in the borough, will celebrate its 50th anniversary, starting with a mural as part of its revamp.

The playground was created in 1974 when children and play scheme workers from Oxford House built structures from “old junk” on a nearby wasteland. Local parents formed the Weavers Adventure Playground Group to turn this land into a dedicated play area.

Fifty years later the playground hopes to get a new revamp by design firm Woodalls Design.

Woodalls Design, usually known for designing corporate work environments, will transform the neglected interior play zone at Weavers Adventure Playground into an engaging environment for children.

Greta Kriovaite, the lead on the project at Woodalls, explains, ‘Designing human-centric spaces is our ethos. We wanted to give back to the community and inspire the younger generation.’

“We spoke with Tower Hamlets Council in January. They told us about Weavers and that it needed some love,” says Kriovaite. 

Tower Hamlets has the highest rate of child poverty in London, with 48% of children living below the poverty line. This makes places like Weavers Adventure Playground crucial.

Open five days a week, the place offers free access to a football pitch, climbing frames, and an indoor area for table tennis and other activities. It’s a haven for local children.

Run entirely by volunteers, Weavers thrives thanks to dedicated individuals like Laurel Dewitt, a mother who believes these spaces are important for keeping children off the streets.

Laurel enjoys volunteering, stating that ‘seeing children happy means so much more.’

Jettson, a regular visitor and Spurs fan, says he loves the football pitch the most.

Jettson, a regular.

On Saturday, an artist worked on a mural to commemorate Weavers’ 50th anniversary. 

The artwork celebrates the playground’s 50-year history and community spirit with a colourful depiction of two children on a swing surrounded by flowers.

The redesign project will span 12 months, with the goal of a grand opening before Christmas.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like to read Youth of Yesterday at Oxford House