THE future of East London’s Victoria Park may depend on a lot of hot air the Town Hall is generating. Council officials are inviting the public to take trips in a hot air balloon over Vicky Park next weekend to see what it looks like from 90ft up

THE future of East London’s Victoria Park may depend on a lot of hot air the Town Hall is generating.

Council officials are inviting the public to take trips in a hot air balloon over Vicky Park next weekend to see what it looks like from 90ft up.

It’s part of a public consultation by Tower Hamlets which is bidding for Lottery cash to completely restore the park before the 2012 Olympics.

Draft plans for its future go on show next weekend (August 15 and 16) at the park where a tethered balloon will take people aloft for a bird’s eye view of the proposals in mind.

HERITAGE

The authority has already allocated �5 million towards the restoration and now hopes to use the two-day public event on August 15 and 16 to pass the final stage in getting National Heritage to lob in another �5m match funding.

This would mean the single biggest investment in Victoria Park since its creation in the 1840s.

Consultations last year have already brought suggestions including an urban beach, better play areas and sports pitches, a skate-park, an additional caf� and more planting and landscaping.

People also want much of the park heritage restored such as the London Bridge stone alcoves erected in the park when the old bridge was rebuilt in the 19th century.

Proposals for Vicky Park are online here. Final plans will be ready in October before they are submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund in December.