Dog and Boot Wash (New Hackney Marsh Centre) by Stanton Williams

This is the new Hackney Marsh Centre by the architects Stanton Williams.

We had been watching the building progress from afar for some time. And in fact because of all the building work for the centre plus all the other landscaping and park works associated with the Olympics our walks hadn’t often taken us by here as there are too many trucks and vans not adhering to the 5mph around the peremiter where we like to walk.

But now it is completed we have an extra incentive to come so far because they have especially incorporated dog and boot washing facilities!

Plus a toilet (for the bi-peds) and I have heard mention of a cafe, though have not see evidence of this yet……

OK maybe it’s actually designed for the footballers to brush and wash their muddy boots, but hey it’s great for us too.

This is the ‘standpipe’ and boot brushes. The top flips over to reveal a push mechanism for the water and there is a handrail to steady yourself while brushing all the mud collected on you walk. Which is a lot if you go by the lower river bit….

Brushing my boots…ok they don’t look so muddy here, but I’d already been testing the facilities…

Washing in action…….

And finally attempting to give Edwyns’ paws a bit of a rinse…  I can imagine this will be a real boon in the summer when it’s hot. Normally he rinses off on what the locals call Hackney beach, which when the river was properly tidal (they’ve now put a damn in further up stream) provided a mini beach and shallow waters for Edwyn to lie down in and have a drink. He’s not a swimmer, but does love a good wallow in shallow water….

Anyway, we are very pleased with the new facilities and love the way the building works with it’s natural surroundings. Even on the grey drizzly awful day these photo’s were taken the rusty orange exterior has a cheeriness to it.