18 April 2008
Director of Open Spaces retires
Jennifer Adams, Director of Open Spaces
for the City of London Corporation, is to retire after seven years
at the organisation.
Mrs Adams, 60, was appointed to the post in the then
newly-created Open Spaces Department at the City of London in 2001
where she has responsibility for 10,700 acres of parks and open
spaces in the Greater London area including Epping Forest,
Hampstead Heath and numerous other open spaces owned and managed by
the City of London. These sites contain important wildlife habitats
as well as providing many facilities which are enjoyed by millions
of visitors each year.
Over the last seven years she has raised the profile of these
open spaces and improved already high standards. She also chaired
the steering group of the London Parks and Green Spaces Forum and
has been involved in various regional and national strategic
initiatives relevant to Parks and Open Spaces.
Prior to joining the City of London Corporation, Mrs Adams
worked for 17 years at the Royal Parks and managed the central
Royal Parks, which included the gardens of Buckingham Palace,
Kensington Palace, Palace of Westminster and 10 Downing Street in
addition to Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St James’s Park and
Green Park. Apart from management and maintenance, she oversaw a
number of historic landscape restoration projects.
Under her leadership the City of London’s Open Spaces have won
numerous plaudits for setting benchmarking standards for Open
Spaces provision across London. Her key achievements were:
- Led the City’s Open Spaces in winning awards consistently
throughout many years as well as a record number of 13 Green Flag
Awards with four sites given Green Heritage status in 2007.
- Established the Open Spaces Department and central directorate
and has overseen and restructured the work of all the City of
London’s Open Spaces and brought them in line with current
needs.
- Encouraged learning and sharing best practice within the
department by setting up staff conferences and working groups.
- Influenced and contributed to regional and national policy
making on Open Spaces management and worked closely with national
agencies such as the Forestry Commission and Natural England.
- Played an instrumental role in strategic groups and projects
such as Green Arc, CABE Space and the London Parks & Green
Spaces Forum.
Mrs Adams said: "I feel very fortunate to have had the
opportunity to have taken temporary care of the City’s Open Spaces
which are our precious resources and are of such importance to
local communities.
"I have greatly enjoyed working with a talented and passionate
workforce. It has been very satisfying to be able to take a
holistic and long term view of the needs and aspirations of those
sites."
Chris Duffield, Town Clerk and Chief Executive of the City of
London Corporation, said: "Jennifer has done excellent work for the
City of London in protecting and managing our world class open
spaces. She has earned great respect from her colleagues at all
levels and we are sorry to see her go, but we wish her a healthy
and enjoyable retirement."
Mrs Adams currently lives in East Finchley but will be moving to
Romsey in Hampshire in May. She is very much a City girl as she was
born in St Bartholomew's hospital, lived in the City during her
childhood and attended the City of London School for Girls and
finished her career in the City of London.
Ends
Notes to editors:
The City of London provides local government services for the
Square Mile, the financial and commercial heart of Britain, and is
committed to maintaining and enhancing the status of the business
City as the world's leading international financial and business
centre through its policies and services. Its responsibilities also
extend far beyond the City boundaries and include management of the
Barbican Centre, Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey, 10,700
acres of open space including Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest,
three wholesale food markets, as well as acting as the London Port
Health Authority.
Press enquires to Loretta Lui on 020 7332 1528 at the City of
London