The park extends from the
River Thames to
Ware, Hertfordshire, through areas such as
Stratford,
Clapton,
Tottenham,
Enfield,
Walthamstow,
Waltham Abbey,
Cheshunt,
Broxbourne and
Hoddesdon in an area generally known as the
Lea Valley. Greater London's largest park, Lee Valley Park is more than four times the size of
Richmond Park, extending beyond Greater London's borders into the neighbouring counties of Hertfordshire and Essex. Notable parts of the park include:
Myddelton House Gardens,
Temple Mills,
Hackney Marshes,
Walthamstow Marshes,
Tottenham Marshes,
River Lee Country Park,
Bow Creek Ecology Park and
Lee Valley Reservoir Chain. There are major reservoirs and water courses (rivers and canals) within Lee Valley Park, both to carry the river flow, and provide navigable waterways and flood relief channels.
Olympic Park From London's Olympic bid success in summer 2005 until summer 2012, much of the southern half of the Lee Valley Park was developed to form the
Olympic Park for the
2012 Summer Olympics and
2012 Summer Paralympics. Lee Valley Park was extended through the Olympic Park down to the River Thames, adding a further 2 miles (3 km) of open space. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority owns 35% of the Olympic Park. It funds, manages and owns three venues following the London 2012 Games –
Lee Valley White Water Centre in Hertfordshire,
Lee Valley VeloPark and the
Eton Manor hockey and tennis centres located at the northernmost end of the
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The park is working with a range of partners including the
Olympic Delivery Authority,
London Development Agency and the
London Thames Gateway Development Corporation to deliver a major linear park at the heart of a new urban district in the
Lower Lea Valley. These venues will join the existing centres the Regional Park currently owns including
Lee Valley Athletics Centre, Lee Valley Riding Centre and
Lee Valley Ice Centre. ==Governance==