A hard-working park keeper who lovingly provided ten years’ of service to the community is stepping down from his role as part of an organisational shake-up.

Derek Roy, who has served Harrow Council for an incredible 49 years, has spent the last decade of his life as the park keeper at Canons Park.

Looking after 49 acres of land, he has been a mainstay of life in the park and has formed a number of relationships with dog walkers, exercise fanatics and plant enthusiasts.  

Now he is heading back into a depot, to work as part of a gang of keepers who will visit a series of parks in the region.

Derek said: “I’ve got mixed feelings about it. I’ve been here for ten years so I’ve got used to being with and working with the public.

“The running of the park and the day-to-day business, it worked well. Now we’ll be coming in as a group to essentially blitz through things but it is what it is.”

The 63-year-old explained that a meeting has been scheduled for the future of the parks in the borough and, whatever the outcome, he was looking forward to carrying on his work in the industry.

“I went off to college and was lucky enough to be given a wonderful opportunity,” he said.

“I didn’t think I’d last one year in the outdoors but it becomes part of you. Now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, I love being out there.”

He added that parks and green spaces are vital to the community since they act as somewhere for people to congregate in and be proud of.

And while some wintery days can test his resolve, for every cold morning there is a glorious Sunday afternoon.

Derek also paid tribute to the Friends of Canons Park, who are helping to host a Jazz afternoon in the park on September 17.

He explained: “They are an absolute gem who really care about the place. They are so dedicated to the park and, naturally, they don’t want to see it deteriorate which, unfortunately, could happen with the changes.”

Sharon Graham, from Friends of Canons Park, said the group was “very unhappy” about the decision to remove Derek from his position but accepted that it was now council policy.

She thanked Derek for his impeccable service and noted how valuable he has been to the park over the past decade.