Hi All,

Summer is truly here and you can almost feel the plants growing! It is delightful to see some regrowth in the bare areas of the park and we have at least some progress to report regarding the issues that have been raised.

Firstly, thank you to Lee Hayward and his team for taking down the nettles that had grown to 3 feet high on the upper surface above the exit from the first drainage pond. One idea is that this area might eventually be planted with fruit trees. It is above the flood catchment.

One very unfortunate happening over the last few weeks was inadvertent mowing of an area of the community orchard with loss of several young trees, including one apple that had been carefully nurtured from a graft two years ago. Profuse apologies have been followed up by a promise of ‘dragon’s teeth’ posts (like upturned logs) along the path on the western side of the footbridge to deter over zealous mowing gangs in the future.

Many people have expressed concern about the deep culvert now temporarily fenced off with orange plastic and the stagnant drainage ditch under the footbridge. Plans are being developed for this area and we have met with the engineers responsible for this work, who have promised to consult us prior to implementation.

The stagnant ditch is also being actively investigated, as to the cause of the pollution there, and will in any case be desilted as part of the wider desilting works set to happen in Mid August.

Lastly – I am assured that the unnecessary bollard on the path near the formal garden is to be removed within the next two weeks  ( message dated 11th  June ). As a result council vans should stop cutting over the grass and gouging great ditches in it. The grass should be reinstated as part of this work.

For your thoughts, comments and action:

• I have seen elsewhere some small, smart-looking signs that say ‘Cyclists, please give way to pedestrians’. I reckon they might be good for the park. Shall I look into getting some for us?
• The hot weather makes for a fun and busy park but produces an enormous littler problem. Any ideas for increasing our sense of community responsibility for this would be much appreciated.
• The Community Orchard Group meets this Saturday 21st June 10am – 12. Come and join us if you would like to.

Chris Sunderland June 2014