Fairlands Park During Lockdown

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Hugh on April 19, 2020 at 14:05

Given the Government's open instructions to councils on parks yesterday, it may be worth contacting your councillors. I didn't hear that play areas were specifically included, nor, to my knowledge, were they specifically excluded. 

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Permalink Reply by Vikram Dodd on April 19, 2020 at 14:47

hi,

It's parks to stay open, and playgrounds and such equipment to be closed.

So equipment in Lordship Rec, Downhills and Priory are fenced off - which is fine. But since they are large spaces, the park area is still very usable. In Fairlands they have fenced off everything bar the slide, but then locked all gates so the pathways and hills are inaccessible. But thanks for the idea Hugh.

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Permalink Reply by lina on April 24, 2020 at 9:27

I think the issue is that parents had the entirety of the park designated as a playground as a way of keeping dogs and their owners out. So when the council had to close all playgrounds, all of Fairlands had to be closed except for the tiny spot to the side that dog owners are allowed to use.

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Permalink Reply by Zena Brabazon on April 25, 2020 at 13:13

I have asked Simon Farrow from the Parks Service about Fairland Park as another resident brought this up. I will let you all know his response when I get it.

Zena

Zena Brabazon

Deputy Leader of the Council

Cabinet Member for Children and Families

Cllr, Harringay ward

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Permalink Reply by Redruby on April 26, 2020 at 16:03

The issue is, if the pathways etc were accessible, this would start bringing a lot more people in, and not only would it make social distancing difficult, there would be many who might stay for longer than advises and those simply just hanging around, which is what has happened, as people are now doing it on the pathway area which runs between Fairfax to Falkland Rds. Now the purpose of the instructions as to what you should be coming out for, was so that you don’t sit around doing nothing, and this is still going on. People, including a man and his young child, who god only knows how he got the child in to the pitch, did indeed get in the other week, and he had his child going around the pitch on his bike from memory, okay fair play children need to go out and ride their scooters and bikes etc, I know that from personal experience. But what is wrong with such a parent who has bi passed sign, locked gates and then got not only himself but also his child over or through a very big fence that surrounds the pitch!! There are various others who have seen fit to climb over too, and either play football, ride on their skate boards or doing a whole fitness workout! From what I was told, what originally started all of this off was the 15 strong group of men who turned up to play football, no offence meant but part of a community who also saw fit to go and have barbecue’s in Chestnuts Park! It is a shame we’ve lost use of the main park, but at least be thankful that the outer path/green area is still open, because to be honest with all the activities that have been going on around that part, I feel those people are the ones who deserve to see it closed, which would spoil it for everyone else who is complying, but at the same time would teach people who just think they can do as they please. The police actually attended recently and told those who were sitting around to leave, they let the car drive off then returned to sit down, only for a plain police car to come along and tell them to get out with a megaphone, it certainly done the trick!

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Permalink Reply by lina on April 26, 2020 at 23:46

In the days leading up to the lockdown and on the day it was declared, there were lots of parents and kids in the play area with no social distancing happening. I haven't see any groups of men there and walk through it most days.

My understanding is that the rules for the lockdown said all playgrounds had to be closed, and because Fairlands is designated a playground (except for the small side bit) the whole thing has to be closed. If it wasn't a playground, dog-walkers would be allowed in. 

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Permalink Reply by Redruby on April 27, 2020 at 10:37

Okay so because you didn’t see groups of men in there, it means it did not happen? It happened twice, possibly more but the two times I am talking about, there were 15, 10 at a time playing football in the pitch, who some came by car to get there.

I’m glad the point has been raised about dogs and the main park area, as prior to it closing there has been a lot of confusion with dog owners, and I can see their point, as despite the silver screwed on sign as you step over the gate threshold, on some signs it gives a different impression, I know this upon being in there and having my child with me, and a lady was walking her dog inside the park area, she told me it was okay because he was on a lead and that is what it says on the sign on the fence I think she had seen the Falkland top end sign, but if all gate areas have these silver no dog signs on the ground, then I can only interpret what it says on the fence signs, as meaning to give instructions as to what the order is for the outer park area, the one that is still open to walk through.

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Permalink Reply by lina on April 27, 2020 at 11:23

I didn't say it didn't happen. You said that you heard that the park was closed because of groups of men not observing social distancing guidelines, I thought it was relevant to point out that groups of parents and children were also not observing social distancing guidelines.  

I agree that the dog ban is not clear. The council website lists Fairland as being a park where dogs are allowed in on a lead, and technically that is true -- they are only not allowed in the play area. However, almost the entirety of the park has been designated a play area. This is why, though, the whole park has to be closed during the lockdown. 

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