CONSULTATION ON 3 OPTIONS TO IMPROVE HOME PARK

Local residents and park users met on 16th April to launch ‘Friends of Home Park‘ (FOHP).

‘Friends of Home Park’ has been set up to try to improve one of Sydenhams more neglected spaces.

£20,000 has been awarded to the park by the London Borough of Lewisham Regeneration Team. A small first step, but hopefully one of many more.

The 3 options are:

1. OUTDOOR GYM AND TABLE TENNIS.

AS IT IS NOW: JUST GRASS

BEFORE

BUT WHAT IF…

OUTDOOR GYM AFTER

and if it’s successful we can add to it later:

PLUS

AS IT IS NOW

BEFORE

BUT WHAT IF…

AFTER

2. IMPROVING CHILDRENS PLAY AREA
AS IT IS NOW

BEFORE: NOT MUCH THERE

BUT WHAT IF…

• We added things to climb on:

• or interact with:

or

3. IMPROVING INTERACTION BETWEEN PARK AND LIBRARY.

The Library is a great asset in the park but they seem like two separate things. We could make a stronger link between the park and the library by using some of the bare patch of tarmac behind the library and next to the play area which currently looks like this:

BEFORE

What if it looked like this:

AFTER

New floor covering possibly like this or the style of floor covering they have in Paris parks (a light very fine buff coloured gravel that would make the area seem lighter), some nice, interesting seating and some outdoor games that could be hired form  the library to encourage interaction between park and library. Eventually there could be a coffee shop.

Or perhaps an ampitheatre style seating like this:

Which could encourage readings, theatre etc in the park for adults and kids.

What option do you think is best worth investing in? Which is your favourite? Do you think (in time) they should all be done?

Over time we hope to hope that more will be done to the park, it doesn’t stop here!

This is your park, we need your input.
Details of consultation to follow.

Please leave your comments below.

For those who wish to vote on these options FOHP will be arranging a meeting
in due course where you can come and vote.  Watch out for the Details to be
posted on the STF and the Home Park Blog.

These will be added to votes collected in the ongoing consultation with the
school(s)

MORE FEEDBACK CAN BE FOUND ON THE SYDENHAM FORUM:

http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28182&sid=18924a7796dfc0fce5f0136b0abae4d0#28182

FOHP Meeting 16.04.09 at the Bridge.

Part 1:
1. Welcome and thanks:
Chair thanked those from Lewisham Council, Glendales and all local volunteers who had contributed to the improvement of Home Park so far and to those who attended at this meeting. He thanked LB Lewisham Regeneration for allocating £20k towards equipment and improvements to the park.

2. Aim of the Friends of Home Park Group
a)To discuss and decide on how best to spend the £20k fund.
b) Work towards making improvements needed for Home park and how to increase its use.

3. References were made to the previous Home park Strategy Group meeting held on 30/9/08 and action points from this meeting.

Lewisham Regeneration: explained that the fund was for spending this financial year 2009-April 2010. He emphasised that the Friends group would need to identify the equipment that is needed this year. Adrian explained that to install large pieces of equipment in parks usually takes 8-12 weeks so it is unlikely that if the group decides on a multi sports court, this will not be ready for use during summer 2009.

4. Key Projects were discussed. See below.

5. Four key priorities were identified as options on which to allocate the £20k.

a) 1 x Large Build i.e. a multi sports court with surround fencing. This would be for multi use i.e. football, basketball, tennis etc.

b) Outdoor gym equipment + Fixed Table tennis table + Seating area + improve current play area
Re: Benches/Seating area – Lee suggested contacting a local artist to create a seating area outside the library. Old railway sleepers or tree trunks could be used to create benches.

c) Fencing, railings, seating area / benches +– to replace the long stretches of inappropriate and unsightly corrugated metal fencing to the East of the park. It is noted that Corrugated fencing is not used in any of Lewisham’s (and Bromley and Greenwich) parks in recognition of its unsuitability and unattractiveness yet it is widely used in the neglected Home park? This gives the impression that home park is treated as a ‘third rate’ park. Anthony will liaise with LB Lewisham to check who is responsible for the fencing. Anthony argued that the fencing and the internal railings are the responsibility of the council and therefore any repair and replacement of these railings and fencing should not come out of this funding but out of Council main maintenance budget. The fencing was erected by Lewisham council (check when?) after the wooden fencing caught fire.

d) Reconfiguring the entrance area with seating and tables to make the entrance to the park more inviting and linking in the library to the park.

FOHP  will liaise with the Sydenham Forum for park Groups in order to share ideas and information about the improvements to home park and advise the group of useful contacts. She also mentioned linking up the lewisham parks (namely Mayow park, Wells park and home park) through a cycle route.

Lewisham Regeneration:  explained that the Group needed to meet again and to try to involve as many local residents as possible to decide what equipment to spend the £20k on. It is noted that the Friends group are all volunteers and tend to work full time which places limitations on how much we can do – Lewisham council’s support is therefore appreciated).

6. Sydenham Arts Festival – volunteers for the home park event welcome – to contact Jonathan Kaufmann.

7. Contact list of people interested in joining Friends of Home Park.

Adventure Playground
Chair read an email sent by Youth Service Adventure Playground Manager with an update of progress with the AP. Planning permission had been given but this was holding up work from commencing. A slow process. Unlikely that the AP will be completed for the local children this summer 2009. In the meantime, the AP continues to be in gross disrepair and unsightly. This has prompted people to use it as a rubbish tip.

Part 2 Looking forward:

Meeting agreed that a Constitution would not at this stage be needed and to keep the group ‘small’ without bureaucracy as long as possible due to work commitments of the group. Acknowledged that at some stage advice needed regarding management of small funds. Agreed it is best if LB Lewisham take this role of managing the finances but that the Friends Group will consult with local community about priorities. However Emma Tarling would send Anthony constitution of FOMP for information.

SYDENHAM ARTS FESTIVAL: FREE FILM SHOW IN HOME PARK

FREE! IN HOME PARK!

NEWSHOPPER ARTICLE

GOOD NEWS...GOOD PRESS