Finsbury Park and Downhills Park lose Green Flag status - Harringay online2024-03-29T09:53:50Zhttps://harringayonline.com/forum/topics/finsbury-park-and-downhills-park-lose-green-flag-status?commentId=844301%3AComment%3A1132638&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI've used the park every day…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-23:844301:Comment:11356802018-11-23T12:30:41.846Zbyl999https://harringayonline.com/profile/beryl999
<p>I've used the park every day walking the dog for 8 years, since I moved here. I agree that the council cuts are causing issues all over the borough in all areas but I wanted to say that in my 8 years coming every day, the park has improved a lot!</p>
<p>Here are some pics from this morning. Multiple gardeners out in force tending to the italian gardens which you described as "all but abandoned" which I disagree with. They are routinely attended to, throughout the seasons, as are other…</p>
<p>I've used the park every day walking the dog for 8 years, since I moved here. I agree that the council cuts are causing issues all over the borough in all areas but I wanted to say that in my 8 years coming every day, the park has improved a lot!</p>
<p>Here are some pics from this morning. Multiple gardeners out in force tending to the italian gardens which you described as "all but abandoned" which I disagree with. They are routinely attended to, throughout the seasons, as are other areas of the park. I also strongly disagree that there is "never a sign of staff maintaing the park", as I mentioned before, all us dog walkers say hello to the head gardner every day. EVERY DAY.</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/136750197?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/136750197?profile=original" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/136750336?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/136750336?profile=original" class="align-full"/></a></p> Maybe 'the rat' was on 'laugh…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-19:844301:Comment:11348672018-11-19T14:27:21.293Zmatthttps://harringayonline.com/profile/mburge
<p>Maybe 'the rat' was on 'laughing gas' whilst scrawling its 'graffiti'. Lets blame the rat.</p>
<p>But apart from the rat, looks like lots of things need some serious investment. Luckily fees from a very quiet, swear free Live Nation event provides much needed funds, ring fenced to Finsbury Park only!</p>
<p><span>Stuart Hopking, </span><span>Finsbury Park Operations Manager, is going to be very busy, with the enthusiastic cooperation of FoFP I'm sure.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p>Maybe 'the rat' was on 'laughing gas' whilst scrawling its 'graffiti'. Lets blame the rat.</p>
<p>But apart from the rat, looks like lots of things need some serious investment. Luckily fees from a very quiet, swear free Live Nation event provides much needed funds, ring fenced to Finsbury Park only!</p>
<p><span>Stuart Hopking, </span><span>Finsbury Park Operations Manager, is going to be very busy, with the enthusiastic cooperation of FoFP I'm sure.</span></p>
<p></p> I’m not sure how long they’ve…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-16:844301:Comment:11344432018-11-16T14:41:08.990ZLizhttps://harringayonline.com/profile/Liz
<p style="text-align: left;">I’m not sure how long they’ve had it ! From what I can glean the Friends groups were only offered the reports in the last few days. The council seemed reluctant to release them until they had drawn up action plans. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I’m not sure how long they’ve had it ! From what I can glean the Friends groups were only offered the reports in the last few days. The council seemed reluctant to release them until they had drawn up action plans. </p> A short email sent to members…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-15:844301:Comment:11341842018-11-15T23:46:23.221ZLizhttps://harringayonline.com/profile/Liz
<p>A short email sent to members of the Haringey Parks Forum which both Martin and I attend by Dave Morris, who is the chair on behalf of the council officer in charge of parks (I tend not to name those in public forums for privacy reasons). </p>
<p>The missing part about Finsbury was simply that Finsbury and Downhills issues not same as Amber concerns but as yet we have not been told what those issues are. The line was edited simply because it sort of wasn’t relevant to Amber concerns but…</p>
<p>A short email sent to members of the Haringey Parks Forum which both Martin and I attend by Dave Morris, who is the chair on behalf of the council officer in charge of parks (I tend not to name those in public forums for privacy reasons). </p>
<p>The missing part about Finsbury was simply that Finsbury and Downhills issues not same as Amber concerns but as yet we have not been told what those issues are. The line was edited simply because it sort of wasn’t relevant to Amber concerns but was</p>
<div><blockquote><div><blockquote><div><div class="moz-text-plain" lang="x-unicode" xml:lang="x-unicode"><pre class="moz-quote-pre">Notable that very few of the issues as flagged at Downhills or Finsbury</pre>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p>You don’t get a red *flag* Tris, so of course the cabinet member said that. The council are asked not to fly the green flag until the issues are resolved. Perhaps the councillor misunderstood the system. The reports will be shared with Friends groups first and the action plans. In Amber cases, the flag is not suspended. It’s more like a wake up call. The info above is literally all that has been shared to the general Parks forum. I’m sure the action plans for individual parks can be accessed by approaching the Friends groups directly. If and when I get more info I will share. </p> Comments on Amber
Common the…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-15:844301:Comment:11339342018-11-15T22:29:18.983ZLizhttps://harringayonline.com/profile/Liz
<p>Comments on Amber </p>
<div><blockquote><div><blockquote><div><div class="moz-text-plain" lang="x-unicode" xml:lang="x-unicode"><p>Common themes from amber external inspection <br></br> <br></br>Some comments about the deterioration of paths <br></br>Signage comes up a few times, directional signage to the site, signage for dog owners and also interpretation signage that relates to features no longer in place <br></br>Weed killer being used around bins <br></br>Untidy shrub beds on a number of sites and grass in one location…</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p>Comments on Amber </p>
<div><blockquote><div><blockquote><div><div class="moz-text-plain" lang="x-unicode"><p>Common themes from amber external inspection <br/> <br/>Some comments about the deterioration of paths <br/>Signage comes up a few times, directional signage to the site, signage for dog owners and also interpretation signage that relates to features no longer in place <br/>Weed killer being used around bins <br/>Untidy shrub beds on a number of sites and grass in one location <br/>One dog bin overflowing and a small amount of litter <br/>Intimidating people at Tottenham Green</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p></p> Update - these were the sites…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-15:844301:Comment:11340922018-11-15T22:25:21.214ZLizhttps://harringayonline.com/profile/Liz
<p>Update - these were the sites that were checked with the results. This is all the information that has been released to date</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/135293638?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/135293638?profile=original&width=721" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>Update - these were the sites that were checked with the results. This is all the information that has been released to date</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/135293638?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/135293638?profile=original&width=721" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p> Yes, I do use the park regula…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-11:844301:Comment:11330812018-11-11T00:11:02.496ZLizhttps://harringayonline.com/profile/Liz
<p>Yes, I do use the park regularly and have taken photos there for about 15 years from when my children were tiny, so I am perfectly well aware both of what it used to be like and how it is now. You can be assured that even five years ago those gardens were not full of weeds and were beautifully maintained. Each and every time I go I spend ten minutes clearing litter. Bins are often overflowing. This did not used to be the case. The wilder parts of the park are my real interest, however I am…</p>
<p>Yes, I do use the park regularly and have taken photos there for about 15 years from when my children were tiny, so I am perfectly well aware both of what it used to be like and how it is now. You can be assured that even five years ago those gardens were not full of weeds and were beautifully maintained. Each and every time I go I spend ten minutes clearing litter. Bins are often overflowing. This did not used to be the case. The wilder parts of the park are my real interest, however I am dismayed to find an increase in dumped rubbish there including old scooters. </p>
<p> I think your post about the amount of work one man is expected to do illustrates my point perfectly. He should not be expected to do it all and until relatively recently could have relied upon a team of full time staff to help him daily. The fact that he is incredibly hard-working doesn’t detract from the fact that he has too much to do. You say yourself that he “often complains that he is not able to everything required by the council” indicating that his job specification is unrealistic and clearly requires more full-time staff.</p>
<p>Perhaps you should consider that it is precisely because I do care deeply about a park that has an astonishing diversity of trees, flowers and insect life and that I have visited and photographed regularly in all weathers for many years (one of my photos of Downhills made it into a government publication on the future of parks and another of the cherry trees in blossom onto the BBC website incidentallly) that I am beyond dismayed at the rapid decline caused by council policy. We can’t shut our eyes to this. The fault lies at the door of the council and its policies towards park management. </p> Well.... user 'Neil' is the…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-11:844301:Comment:11328202018-11-11T00:01:57.488ZGordon Thttps://harringayonline.com/profile/GordonT
<p>Well.... user 'Neil' is the rebranded user 'Neil O'Shea', ex-Conservative councillor and about as subtle as half a brick (have read back on past postings). Regular readers need not be surprised.</p>
<p>Well.... user 'Neil' is the rebranded user 'Neil O'Shea', ex-Conservative councillor and about as subtle as half a brick (have read back on past postings). Regular readers need not be surprised.</p> The cuts were made in 2011, a…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-10:844301:Comment:11328192018-11-10T21:54:06.468Zalexhttps://harringayonline.com/profile/alex62
<p>The cuts were made in 2011, and included cuts to the parks budget by over 50% (£1m)<br></br>and over a third of frontline staff working in Haringey parks were made redundant. </p>
<p>At the time the Council's spending on green spaces was already in the bottom quarter of comparable boroughs</p>
<p>As this <a href="https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=13" rel="noopener" target="_blank">petition</a> to the Council at the time stated:<br></br>"We believe this will make our…</p>
<p>The cuts were made in 2011, and included cuts to the parks budget by over 50% (£1m)<br/>and over a third of frontline staff working in Haringey parks were made redundant. </p>
<p>At the time the Council's spending on green spaces was already in the bottom quarter of comparable boroughs</p>
<p>As this <a href="https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">petition</a> to the Council at the time stated:<br/>"We believe this will make our green spaces unsafe, and undo the improvements the Friends Groups have worked so hard for over the last 10 years. It will return them back to the shocking neglect of the 1980/90s."</p>
<p>Haringey Parks have been going down hill since 2011, neither the budget nor the staff lost have been replaced and our parks will get worse year on year as the cumulative effect kicks in. </p>
<p></p> Did you read Liz's post? Bec…tag:harringayonline.com,2018-11-10:844301:Comment:11329212018-11-10T21:41:05.222Zalexhttps://harringayonline.com/profile/alex62
<p>Did you read Liz's post? Because she isn't bad mouthing the park keepers, she's complaining about Council policies relating to parks.</p>
<p>Did you read Liz's post? Because she isn't bad mouthing the park keepers, she's complaining about Council policies relating to parks.</p>