South Park, Ilford

A Canada goose next to the lake in South Park

The park is a 13.5 hectare[2] park on former farmland which was sold to Ilford Council in 1899 for £11,200. The park opened to the public on 10 May 1902. It contains a number of large trees, a lake which is fed by Loxford Water and leisure facilities including Tennis courts and Football pitches.

The park provides a home to a number of wildlife species, including mallard ducks, Canada geese, tufted ducks, pochard, Canada geese, Greylag geese, and Mute Swan. Great Cormorant, Grey Heron and Egyptian geese are also frequently seen.

In 2011, a new Wildlife Education & Information Centre was opened in the old boat house as a partnership between the London Borough of Redbridge and the South Park User Group.

The park is known as a haven for bats, and an annual bat-sighting walk is organised every September by the London Borough of Redbridge. There are three species which are commonly present, the Common pipistrelle, the Soprano pipistrelle, and the Common noctule. Daubenton's bat is less commonly sighted.

The area around the park has become known as South Park and the nearby primary school, the catchment area of which covers a large part of the south of Redbridge, is known as South Park Primary School. SS Peter and Paul also has catchment area in this area for catholic children

Coot in South Park

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  A mute swan in South Park
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  A coot in South Park

Greaylag Goos near the lake

• South Park Primary School
• Valentines Park, a nearby park

• Official Park web site
• South Park Users Group