An ice way to support nature

Wildflower meadows, bird and bat boxes, and pollinator roof gardens are just a few of the new biodiversity-boosting features of the Lee Valley Ice Centre, the most sustainable centre of its kind in the UK. 

More than £1.5million has been spent on landscaping and nature-friendly measures to integrate the building, which was redeveloped in 2023, into the wider Walthamstow Wetlands area, which provides a vital urban ecosystem for a myriad range of species. 

Sustainable roof gardens have been created on the cycle hubs outside the centre, perfect for bees and other vital pollinator species during the spring and summer. Wildflower meadows surround the centre, enhancing the biodiversity of the area even further. 

The Centre boasts bespoke nesting provision for urban bats and birds – including eight boxes installed to support nesting swifts, an iconic, yet rapidly declining bird which can be seen across the Wetlands in the summer months. 

The car park has been designed for the benefit of the local ecosystem with special swales installed, allowing surface water to drain into wetland areas instead of ending up as standing water on concrete. 

Even the excess ice from the rink itself is used sustainably. Every day, ice is scraped from the rink to create the best conditions for skating – and instead of being wasted, this water is filtered and treated and much of it is integrated back the Centre’s surrounding ponds and wetlands system.  The system can save up to 6million litres of water from ending up in sewers every year. 
Cath Patrick, conservation manager at the Centre, explains more 

Cath Patrick, conservation manager at the Centre, explains more

Every day, we’re saving 100 bathtubs of water, scraped from the ice rink, from being wasted. Instead, much of it is used to fill the ponds we have here outside the building.

We’ve significantly increased trees coverage as well, we have 116 species of plant and 10,000 square metres of wildflower meadows, and we also now have more than 300 solar panels on site too. 

We’ve also created nest boxes for bats, and also swifts, a bird in serious decline that desperately needs places to nest in urban areas. We know that swifts really need support in towns and cities especially and providing good quality nesting areas is a great way to do this. 

We have eight swift boxes installed and we are hoping to see them occupied and supporting the local population over the next few summers. We even have hedgehog hibernation boxes too!

Right from the very design concept, the aim was to integrate our new centre into the wider landscape and support our local nature. We are aware that the Centre’s location is part of a vital urban wetlands. We want to ensure that the start of the marshes and the surrounds of the centre are essentially one and the same when comes to supporting biodiversity.

Cllr Clyde Loakes MBE, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate and Air Quality said: 

It is fantastic to see the Lee Valley Ice Centre enriching biodiversity in the area. 

The council is committed to restoring and boosting nature across the borough and we will continue to work with partners to deliver our ambitious nature recovery programme.

The council’s new Together We are Waltham Forest campaign is supporting the work of local people and dedicated organisations like the Lee Valley Ice Centre to help nature thrive and protect our environment. 

Cllr Loakes continued 

We can all play a role in helping nature thrive and protecting our environment. We’re restoring habitats and creating a fantastic and welcoming place for both wildlife and people through a range of measure – from distributing 5,000 free trees and 250,000 bulbs to residents and volunteer groups, to installing new parklets and rain gardens, and turning unused land into growing sites. 

• Find out more about Together we are Waltham Forest.