Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Update on blocked drains in Finsbury Park
Just thought I would post an update regarding the two areas in Finsbury Park that have succumbed to blockages resulting in large amounts of stagnant water at either end of the Park.
The Council contractor Ringway Jacobs placed cameras down the drains and located the problems. They subsequently jetted/removed the built up silt and then flushed the drains through. The Parks Operations Manager has monitored the areas over the last few days as there have been heavy down pours and the drains seem to be running freely now. I will continue to monitor. Hopefully this has solved the issue.
Do let me know if the problem recurs particularly in view of the heavy rain we have had over the last couple of days.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Thanks for following up on this, Karen,
However, it still leaves an "elephant in the room". (Or in this case, in the park.) By which I mean long delay in discovering the cause of the flooding and the apparent absence of any longer term plans to prevent the same thing happening in future.
In May 2012 Sophie Smith posted photos of streets flooded near Finsbury Park Station. Sophie described "... a flowing stream in the park where there isn't supposed to be one". In the same discussion thread Clive Carter said this was a regular occurrence. From her own knowledge Ann Barwick agreed and said the problem went back five years before then, to "the Heritage Lottery Fund renovation of the carriage drive [which] was resurfaced with loose gravel, most of which is now down the drain". Ann said this had "been reported regularly over the past five years, but Haringey parks have very low maintenance budgets so nothing has been done".
in December 2012 Justin Guest described the: "near lake sized flooding that occurs every time it rains at the Finsbury Park entrance end of the park. There is a drain there that has simply silted up. Once the flooding has receded it deposits a shed load of silt and dirt and frankly makes that end of the park pretty skanky for some time, during and post flood".
If the Council's contractors are now reporting that the blockage was due to "built up silt" that doesn't necessarily contradict loose gravel as a previous cause, since one blockage can lead to another. But unless they've sent you the consultants' report can I suggest you ask for it as a ward councillor and request that it's published on the Council's website.
And - again if you've not had some feedback on this - perhaps asking what thought either the Council or its consultants have given prevention . And not just of water pooling in the park, but preventing run-off from the park causing flooding downstream - which is Seven Sisters Road near Finsbury Park Station. (As I recall, this is the lowest point in Islington.)
I may be completely wrong in this case, but sometimes clean, sweetly flowing drainage pipes will deliver flood water. So temporary flooding of a meadow or park becomes preferable to flooded homes and businesses downstream.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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