Park of the week

58. Silkstream Park and Montrose Playing Fields

Silkstream Park and Montrose Playing Fields are next to each other, on either side of Montrose Avenue in Burnt Oak. Together, they make up one of the largest green spaces in the area. We visited them separately, but it made sense to write about them at the same time. They’ve got their own distinct “personalities”, but I preferred Silkstream Park because it was the less crowded when we visited, and the landscape is more varied. Both have been upgraded within the last two years.
Silkstream Park, described as a linear park (much longer than it’s wide), is within the Watling Estate, a large council housing estate built in the 1920s. The park is one of a number of open spaces created throughout the estate, following the course of Silk Stream (see 34) and its tributary Burnt Oak Brook.

The park has natural landscaping on either side of the stream, with newly planted trees and  mature horse chestnut trees, and some oak and hawthorn trees dating from the time when there were fields and hedgerows there. There are also grass, and ornamental shrubs, seating and a playground. There’s a pond, and new bridges cross it and the stream. It's a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. 

The new mini wetland area has its own boardwalk, and the plan is that the wetland will fill with water if the Silk Stream bursts its banks, reducing the risk of flooding to nearby properties during heavy rain.

Montrose Playing Fields is mainly used for organised sport. It’s a wide, open flat grassland, and Silk Stream also runs through it. It has tennis and basketball courts, a skate park, table tennis tables, an outdoor gym, parkour area, playground and a new hub building that includes a café, changing rooms, public toilets, and a multi-use studio. It’s also the site of Unitas, an independent charity and purpose-built youth centre for Barnet’s young people aged 8 to 19, and up to the age of 25 for those with additional needs. Parking is available on nearby streets.
Judith Field

Silkstream Park, Silkstream Road/Montrose Avenue, HA8 0DF
Montrose Playing Fields, Montrose Avenue, HA8 0DP