Why are the stories of Stratford and the Bow Back Rivers so similar? And what might the future hold? Listen to the audio track below to find out.
Why are the stories of Stratford and the Bow Back Rivers so similar? And what might the future hold? Listen to the audio track below to find out.
This is the final stop on the tour, and brings us back to Carpenters Road Lock. The old lock was last opened in the 1960s, and was then abandoned to weeds, rust and brambles. The new lock gates and lifting mechanism were installed in 2017, allowing boats to pass between Waterworks River and City Mill River for the first time in fifty years.
Looking at the lockside, you can see how the canals and waterways have changed their role between the dates of these two lock installations. The modern waterways not about grimy industries but about leisure, heritage and public access. There are information panels, digital downloads for school groups, volunteers who operate the lock or help visitors, and the opportunity to book tour guides to follow the same route you have done today.
Exactly the same transformation has created modern day Stratford and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. From a polluted and unappealing industrial area it now has world class sporting facilities, a great urban park, new homes, jobs and communities and a shopping destination that draws in people from all around. Stratford and the Bow Back Rivers have shared a long history, and it looks like the future is positive.
Thank you for joining us on this walking trip. You can return to your starting point by crossing over Diamond Bridge and walking back to the London Aquatics Centre, which will take about five minutes.
This page is part of Start the audio trail
