Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#1
DDC Press Relese...*****
CONNAUGHT PARK PLAY AREA -
YOUR VIEWS SOUGHT
Exciting ideas are being sought for an innovative, creative and challenging new play area for Connaught Park in Dover -
A special consultation event is being held at the play area in the park on Wednesday 10 June from 3.30pm-5pm to hear your views.
Following Dover District Council's successful application for funding from the Children's Plan Playbuilder programme, a series of consultation events starts this week to find out exactly what local people want to see at the popular play area. This includes a range of consultations with local schools and organisations representing disabled young people, in addition to a wider community consultation event at the park on 10 June.
Consultation is being carried out by the Kent Children's Fund Network on behalf of Dover District Council and funded by the Children's Plan Playbuilder programme. The new play areas will be funded by DDC and the Children's Plan Playbuilder programme.
Further consultation is planned for September/October to feedback design proposals.
A new-look play area is due to be completed by early spring 2010. This follows the launch of innovative new play areas at Pencester Gardens and Marke Wood in Walmer. The refurbishment of this strategic play area is in keeping with the Dover District Play Strategy and DDC's commitment to develop strategic play areas across the district.
For more information, please contact Laura Corby at DDC on (01304) 872448 or the Kent Children's Fund Network on 01303 249800.
- ends -
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#2
I must admit to my shame that I've never actually been in Connaught Park..so the consultation wont be aimed at me.
But sometimes people complain about not having a voice well here is your chance on this particular issue.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
#3
Had my voice both on here, and meetings with council, I do applaud the council for making this parkl a good one, and it is, lovely area and shame on you paulb for not visiting.
But witthout trying to moan, to achieve connaught they had to close nearly every other play area, and end up with just 9 strategic play areas.
Unless you live in a ward that has lost its play areas it is hard to understand.
Clarendon play area still no update, still no play area,
maxton play area gone.
I you lived in priory/maxton would you not be a little upset at broken promises???
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#4
Keith
I'm not sure if you are aware or not, but it wasn't DDC who closed Clarendon or Maxton play areas, it was the Health and Safety people - the previous administration at DDC didn't invest any money in play areas so eventually they became run-down and dangerous, so had to close.
The Priory Forum recently made comments about not needing play equipment, just somewhere for the kids to hang out - not sure this is what the majority of parents in the Priory part of the ward actually want though.
Roger
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
#5
Good news re the play area at Connaught Park. I dont visit the play area much these days as my girls are all grown up now but occasionally I take friends children there and it is always bustling with lots of youngsters enjoying themselves. It certainly is ready for an upgrade so lets hope lots of people turn up to put their ideas across.
Connaught Park is such a great asset for Dover. I use it almost every day walking the dog, playing tennis in the summer months, its always packed at this time of year, the Wimbledon season. The views across Dover are lovely. We have had some great picnics there, the new fountain is a real treat and everyone loves the aviary. So as you can see I am a great fan of Connaught Park and so pleased to have it on my doorstep
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
#6
So glad something is finally happening for connaught park one can only imagine what it use to be like in its hay day, so yes this is agood chance for people to say what they would like to see.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
#7
Roger
You are incorrect but there you go I have become used to that.
Over the years the priory forum, and myself as a cllr suggested a number of sites
ALL REJECTED by the council.
The priory forum were in agreement to have a safer play area, but collor admitted recently the £100,000 allocated for a PRIORY PLAY AREA and not 106 money,
the conservative administration has spent elsewhere.
No wonder priory maxton and elms vale residents are up in arms with your administration.
PRIORY deserves better
PRIORY must get A play area and within weeks
Will you help????????
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
#8
And the Priory Forum are still after a play area, we will strive and get one, one way or another
Roger expected you at meeting today
Sheila
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#9
What part of my posting was wrong Keith ? You weren't at the (PF) meeting that Councillor Collor and DDC Officers attended and so didn't hear the (PF) Secretary's comments about play areas.
I have not said anything that is wrong in my previous posting, so don't play that old game.
Sheila, I emailed Cheryle to apologise for absence, it was Thursday - polling day.
Does she not get the emails or just not pass them on ? I don't get replies to my emails.
Did she pass on to you the message about the fencing for July 4th. ?
Roger
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
#10
Roger
The secretary of P/F has every right to a view, as does EVERY other priory forum c/ttee member, and the majority decision abided by.
As iv said on here before, at that meeting COLLOR clearly stated the £100,000
put aside out of DDC coffers for PRIORY has been spent by the conservative administration.
Lots of venues for play areas were agreed by the P/F none taken up by the conservative administration.
I hope that PRIORY gets its play area, and soon
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#11
I agree that everyone has the right to a view, including the Secretary of the PF, but is it right that that one person's view should be put forward as the whole view of every one in the Priory area ?
So which sites were put forward then Keith?
I know of some which were mooted, but turned down by local Labour activists, another was turned down by KCC.
I agree that at one time, a number of years ago (4 or 5), there was money put aside for a play area and yes I agree it was about £100,000, but no one (locally) came up with a sensible play area that could actually be used; one that was agreeable to everyone.
After a few years that money became needed elsewhere - what's the point of keeping money for years and years when you can't use it and we couldn't come up with an answer for a location, so it went.
Until we come up with an area that can be used as a safe play area for the majority of children, we're not going to get the money.
It's not the nasty Tories taking money away from children, it's the nasty Labourites not investing in play areas and play equipment in the first place.
We need to start afresh, find a location, then look for grant money (along with section 106 money) to fund the equipment.
No suggestion put forward (by anyone) has been ignored, all have been investigated by DDC officers and H & S people.
Roger
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
#12
Roger
I e-mailed you the other day, and explained the view of the secretary only, not the forum, unfortunately I had a meeting prior to the meeting you are on about, so did not get the views of the electorate of the ward across, the most of the ward want the play area re-instated on the old site, the people in power see this as a problem, we don't, we are not asking for state of the art play area, swings, roundabout and a slide would be something, yes, this site is not agreeable for everyone (disabled or mums with pushchairs) although this has never detered mums before, at least by installing somthing here, would get a good few of the children something to play on, and keep of the streets, also if the football pitch was kept under controll as it used to be, instead of neglected, the lads and lasses would be up there playing footie, instead of in the street.
Sheila
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#13
Thanks Sheila
I have just been down to Crabble Corn Mill to see the marvellous work the Community Payback Team have done down there.
To say I was impressed is an understatement, I recommend everyone to go there and see for themselves what can be achieved for the Community, by these Teams.
Perhaps some of the work required to bring the steps at Clarendon into a safe condition, could be done by these Community workers; the labour is all free and most if not all materials is recycled.
As we all know, labour is generally the most expensive of any part of a scheme of a job and when it's free, it has to be promoted - doesn't it ?
Certain parts of the play area itself could be improved/worked on, by these people, so I'll put some questions next week.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#14
no change here, keith and roger playing party politics, nett result no play area after 6 years.
#15
For Gods sake - we have an opportunity to improve an area and what we see here are squabbles. Three cheers for those who are being positive. Let's do this thing.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#16
I'm not playing party politics Howard, I'm telling it how it is.
Clarendon play area is (or rather should be) an important part of children's lives and deserves to be worked up to a point where it can be equipped, but (probably) only by section 106 and grant money.
If aspects of it can be worked on for free or very little cost, isn't that a good start ?
It's no good Keith keep saying "you nasty Tories, you took our play equipment away", I have said many times it wasn't the Conservatives who took the equipment away, it was the Health and Safety people and the only reason the equipment was condemned as dangerous, was because no money had been invested in it under the previous administration, so now let's move forward, not keep going backwards.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#17
it will not happen bern, the only sensible idea i have heard is from sheila.
just a simple few swings etc and a football pitch would all be well used and cost very little.
a public meeting locally would confirm this.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#18
roger
keith and yourself seem incapable of not mentioning party stuff in your posts.
very few are interested in politics in this
area, they do not even know who their councillors are.
who is the best person to speak to on the council in order to get some sort of play facility?
i will then get in touch with them.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#19
roger
keith and yourself seem incapable of not mentioning party stuff in your posts.
very few are interested in politics in this
area, they do not even know who their councillors are.
who is the best person to speak to on the council in order to get some sort of play facility?
i will then get in touch with them.
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
#20
It is an unfortunate fact of life that politics will always enter any discussion involving expenditure of public money. What I find annoying is the different factions, who purport to have the same aims, continually bickering and trying to score political points off each other and ultimately delaying or cancelling projects because they feel it necessary to disagree with someone who just happens to wear a different colour rosette.
The children that need these play areas don't give a hoot about the politics - they just want somewhere to play.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!