Our neighbourhood, filled with parks, gardens, waterside spaces, remarkable public art, and events and activities of all kinds, is designed to improve wellbeing and bring the community together. Sophie Goddard explains how, and why.
“We feel it’s important to create, in Canary Wharf, a neighbourhood where everyone has the opportunity to connect with nature,” explains Sophie Goddard, Director of ESG at Canary Wharf Group, “and this belief drives many of our decisions. Two key priorities, when it comes to the sustainability of this neighbourhood, are climate action and creating space for nature; Eden Dock, launched in autumn last year in partnership with the Eden Project, is a great example of a project we’ve undertaken recently that champions these priorities. Biodiversity can thrive in an urban environment, and benefit all the people here at the same time.”
Nowadays, anyone coming out of Canada Place, Jubilee Park, or the Tube is greeted by the sight of ever more greenery as Eden Dock’s canopy of trees grows; people are embracing waterside seating and fresh air, whatever the weather, and local wildlife and birds are increasingly making the pontoons and aquatic islands their new home. Soon, the water throughout the Wharf will be speckled with the bright hats of open water swimmers and GoBoats, picnics on board.
“Eden Dock is at the heart of our plans for Canary Wharf ’s green and blue spaces; when complete, they will stretch all the way from here, through Jubilee Park and Union Square, to Harbord Square Park and Graving Dock,” Sophie points out. “We understand the benefits of proximity to greenery and water, and we want to make sure our community has as many opportunities to access these as possible.” Throughout the many open spaces can be found more than 100 outstanding works of art; Canary Wharf is home to London’s largest free-to-visit outdoor collection. “We encourage engagement with art and culture,” says Sophie, “through initiatives like the illuminated outdoor exhibition Winter Lights and the Children’s Art Trail, and through cultural community events because it’s so good for health and wellbeing.”
A recent study, undertaken for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, concluded that society benefits when we consume culture, because of improvements in our quality of life and higher productivity. In creating a walkable city, Sophie explains, “where almost everything we might need is here, we’re able to enhance local workers’ and residents’ lives further: we take care to ensure Canary Wharf has a range of retail, leisure and hospitality brands so people can have everything they need on their doorstep”.
So throughout the Wharf can be found everything from gyms and fitness classes, dentists and healthcare clinics to beauty salons, pharmacies and 80+ restaurants, bars and cafés for easy access to healthy, delicious sustenance. New arrivals often have exceptional wellbeing credentials: “We are thrilled to welcome arc community to the Wharf, for example,” Sophie enthuses. “We can’t wait for people to try its hot and cold contrast therapy.”
The events programme, concludes Sophie, is the final piece in the wellbeing puzzle. “There’s nothing better than bringing people together with a shared passion, be it art, music or sport. We’re particularly looking forward to the TCS London Marathon on 27 April, because the route will take in Wood Wharf for the first time, and to Wharf Wellness in June. Canary Wharf is greener than ever, with more beautiful waterside spaces, and there’s plenty more to come!
Learn more about our open spaces here.
