New community cafe launches in Russell Park

The project to fill the park’s empty kiosk and create a community space has now been completed, reports Miriam Balanescu

A new community cafe has opened its doors in Russell Park, following a successful launch last weekend.

The opening of Russell’s Hub Community Cafe, which is located in what was a formerly empty kiosk, was celebrated on Saturday, 22nd April with live music, face painting and refreshments.

The project was steered by Noel Park Big Local, a resident-led initiative, who have said that the new business has created three new year-long jobs for Haringey residents.

Euclides Montes, services director at Noel Park Big Local, said: “The Noel Park Big Local partnership were delighted to be able to fulfil the community’s ambition for this formerly empty kiosk in the park. The community cafe has been a long-standing project, spearheaded at different points by committed members of the Noel Park community so we were happy to take on the baton a couple of years ago and enter into negotiations with the Council on behalf of our neighbours and to secure funding for its opening.

“The launch was part of our Noel Park 140 festivities – a series of events celebrating the 140th Anniversary of the Noel Park Estate throughout 2023.

“The Community Cafe is also just one of the pieces of Noel Park Big Local’s larger strategy for the regeneration of Russell Park, which also includes a complete overhaul of the play and sport facilities, a redrawing of the park’s pathways, and an ambitious tree-planting scheme that reflects the changing nature of our climate, with the first phase of the work commencing later this year.

We hope to transform Russell Park into a thriving green hub for Noel Park and the community cafe’s launch was a great indication of the trajectory we are on as a community.”

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