Friends of St. Nicholas Park
FRIENDS OF ST. NICHOLAS PARK
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
20th May 2010
Annual
Report to Members
This year has seen some welcome
activity in the park. The outcome of
the ‘Have Your Say’ public consultation showed the top three priorities as
(1) Upgrading the toilets, (2) Pathways and (3) CCTV and Lighting. These had also been the top priorities
suggested to Warwick District Council by the Friends in October 2008. As members will have noticed, the
additional cubicles in the toilets with mother and baby changing facilities
have already been built and opened and the widening of the riverside pathway
almost complete. The small tarmac path
from Charter Bridge to the nearby bungalows is
planned as part of the pathway works and was suggested by the Friends to replace
the mud track used by the schoolchildren, under the County Council Safer
Routes to Schools scheme. It is hoped
that the results warranted the disruption caused.
The third priority is still
being pursued by the Friends as security is an important issue to our
members. Warwick District Council now
has a new Global digital system which is fully integrated with the Police
system and it appears possible that this could be extended to provide four
cameras in the park (2 static and 2 mobile).
Committee member Neil Kenton is liaising with WDC re this.
We are also delighted that the
mini golf has been restored and is now up and
running. This is due to the persistence
of the Friends and Cllr. Anne Mellor in pursuing the reinstatement of this
facility which is much enjoyed by families with young children. The Friends have planted some bedding
plants in the containers as a demonstration of our commitment to improving
the park for all.
A considerable amount of time
has been spent by the depleted Management Committee in attending Park
Improvement Meetings with the District and the fall-out from these. It appears now that the District want the stakeholders in the park to form an Advisory
Forum, of which the Friends will only be a representative. As WDC are unwilling to set up such a body
and none of the stakeholder groups have come forward to do so, we have been
told that Park Improvement Meetings will cease. It has been decided by the Management
Committee that a concerted effort is needed to recruit members in order that
we shall have a stronger voice when speaking to the District Council and this
is an on-going and critical objective for the Friends. Members of the Committee are desperately
needed in order that we can continue with our group and pursue park issues of
concern to us all. We shall also be in
a position to contribute where any future development plans for the park are
proposed.
Litter problems in Myton Fields
have been brought to WDC’s attention at the Park Improvement Meetings but, to
date, have not been fully addressed.
The website has been up and
running for over a year and thanks are due to our Webmaster Henning who has
expanded and improved our site with more information. Members should pay a visit from time to
time as events will be posted and information updated when it is
received. We now have links with St.
Mary’s Lands group and Abbey Fields Friends.
The Friends of Priory Park are in the process of setting up their
website and we hope to have links with them both electronically and in the
sharing of information. There may be
value in co-operating with the other park groups in the future.
It is hoped that there will
also be more newsletters in the coming year with updates and newsworthy
items.
The Friends have submitted a
project to the Community Forum with the backing of the local residents
associations, the Emscote Centre and the Older
People in Action Group. This
represents a bid for three benches (at £950 each) at the eastern end of the
park, two on the grassed area behind the elderly housing scheme and one near Charter Bridge. It is anticipated that this bid will
succeed and provide seating which has been requested for 10 years by the
Pickard Street Residents Association.
We need members to come forward with ideas for future projects and
suggestions for improvements in the park which the Committee can endeavour to
take forward. The group is only as
strong as its members and we need everyone’s contribution.
The Friends have requested on
many occasions for the brambles and weeds to be cleared at the riverside to
provide a view across the river at this end.
Although promised last winter, it appears that this work will be
carried out by WDC in the autumn. Some
members have already offered to join a working party to clear this ourselves if the Council do not honour the
request. If anyone uses the Centenary
Way riverside walk to Tescos, one of our committee
has cleared part of the original path here which obviates the necessary to
negotiate the muddy slope, dangerous in wet weather. We need to use this straight stretch to
keep it open and then we can make a request for WDC to cut the weeds back on
the margins.
The Friends have asked
questions about the cutting down of trees at Kingfisher Pools and it appears
there is an ongoing management plan for this area dictated by the Junior
Angling Committee and WDC. If the
Friends are going to make any representations in the future regarding this
area, we need input from our members and a healthier membership list! We have been assured that only tree
management (cutting of dead and dying trees) is to take place in the spinney
at the eastern end but we have to be vigilant regarding any such work carried
out on the park as we are not being consulted by WDC.
Suggestions for Friends
activities are welcomed and one idea has been for a picnic in the park with
musical accompaniment. Please let the
Committee know if you have any ideas which could be pursued without too much
expense or difficult arrangements.
The Friends of St. Nicholas Park group has survived the first three
difficult years and we now hope to expand and improve in order that we may be
heard and consulted by the District Council in the future. We have, so far, achieved results from two
of our suggestions and we still have a long way to go before all the
suggestions we submitted are addressed.
As a reminder to members they are:-
Myton Fields
should be regarded in all aspects as a part of St. Nicholas Park.
Ending
overflow of foul water/sewerage into river
Completing the
‘remediation’ work to a satisfactory standard
Extending and
upgrading the toilets
Equal
consideration for both east and west ends of the park
Improvement of
paths
Increased
security so that people can feel safe in the Park, day and night, and protect
the park from misuse
Increase
routine maintenance of grassed and planted areas
The Friends
would like to see an increased proportion of the money raised by the park
returned to the park
Conservation
matters be given a higher priority than hitherto
Education
should be included in all aspects of the Park.