Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
DDC PRESS RELEASE ***
Innovative new play areas are officially launched today in Pencester Gardens in Dover and Marke Wood in Walmer following work by Dover District Council and a successful bid to the Big Lottery Fund's Children's Play Programme.
Modern facilities include exciting themed areas built to encourage creative play, and feature landscaped design and structured equipment. The Pencester Gardens area includes a castle theme and a zip wire feature, and the Marke Wood design includes a multi-use climbing frame and a special circular story-telling area.
The work has been funded by a £257,702 award from the Big Lottery Fund's Children's Play Programme, with Dover District Council. Designs for the play areas were agreed following extensive public consultation. The funding award is also contributing to work on a major state-of-the-art concrete skate park at Victoria Park in Deal.
Cllr Nigel Collor, DDC Cabinet Member for Access and Property Management, said: "These exciting new inclusive facilities for Dover and Walmer provide a great space for children to play, and are an important part of our ongoing commitment to improve strategic sites across the area, in keeping with the District Play Strategy."
Big Lottery Fund Head of South East region, Alison Rowe, said: "The Dover and Walmer projects are excellent examples of how the Children's Play programme is a fantastic investment for children, families and communities across the South East. Play is a vital factor in a child's physical, emotional and social development, so with the right play provision, we hope that people will feel confident to allow their children to play beyond the home and enjoy the wealth of benefits that play brings."
ends -*
Guest 677- Registered: 8 Jul 2008
- Posts: 150
I am really looking forward to taking the children to play there but I do have one question...
Whilst it was being built there were a number of breaches of the fence so that older children could play on their bikes and skateboards (even though there is a dedicated park next to it) and adults could use it as a drinking hole, so my question is now that the fence is down are there going to be more people using it for other than it was intended for and is this the state of our society now that when someone actually puts an effort in and tries to do something good for our town a minority try and ruin it.
It's not the man in my life, its the life in my man!!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
it is a wonderful facility, thanks to all who have worked on it.
stephanie makes a valid point, parents will not take their children there if yobs and alkies pervade the place.
this all goes back to the general concensus of opinion that demands a river warden in pencester gardens, if that person was appointed, it would not be much extra work to keep an eye on the play area too.
a uniform has an amazing effect on miscreants.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
Sadly the largest effect a uniform has on todays youth is to provide them with a target for juvenile abuse. However, on the idea of a river warden, of course we should have one and it should be Ian. It just doesn't seem right him being stuck in an office all day.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
I still rather like my idea of Ray Winstone for Mayor............better than a uniform!!!!!!!!
Guest 677- Registered: 8 Jul 2008
- Posts: 150
Violence begets violence
It's not the man in my life, its the life in my man!!
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
ITS A FANTASTIC PLAY AREA BUT,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
To achieve this site many other play areas are to close, don't forget that when it starts happening,
john you got that list of the play areas to close yet?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
keith
is this official or hearsay?
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
Amusing that the very same day the new play area opened, the swings (the last element) of the play area on the end of Napier Road disppeared!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Trouble making again Keith.
Give it a rest for a while can't you ?
Roger
IF what Keith says is correct how can it be trouble-making? Trouble-making is the closure of several public facilities while fanfaring the opening of one other to bury the bad news. But I don't want to detract from the Pencester area - it's a good facility and an asset to Dover. But please don't stop people from recording other potential issues just because it irritates you!!!!
Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
We are not burying bad news .As long ago as 2005 a decision was made to remove equipment from some play areas and DDC would concentrate money into stragetic sites.That is why Marke Wood and Pencester Gardens have seen new equipment placed on those sites.Kearsney Abbey is due for a face lift.
The Housing Revenue Account which comes under my rermitt had 19 sites The HRA could not sustain that many play areas
Hobart Crescent it is recommended eqiupment be removed in 2009.
Old Folkestone Road equipment be removed as soon as possible.
Barwick Road equipment to be removed.due to Anti Social Behaviour.
Chance Road Guston possible transfer to parish Council
There were three sites in Deal as well.
With the Right to buy some of these play areas are now surrounded by people who own their own homes.So if Town Councils want to take them over they can precept like the villages have to.Take Whitfield,River ,Temple Ewell as an excample
Hope this helps.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Roger
i'm not trouble making and if you feel what i have said is incorrect im happy to hava a view from you.
Yu have admitted in the past there is a District strategy to close play areas, so its not hearsay.
Sue has also said on this forum town councils have been spoken to,
I have asked on here for ANY district councillor to be honest and admit which play areas are going(if any) how consultation took place? what was results? are town councils taking over any?
UNLESS the situation has changed the present (I will call it debate)was that the council could not afford to maintane the play areas.
Our very own mrWatkins has said the grass wll stay we are only takng the equipment out!
im happy to be corrected if there has been a change of heart, or update.
but no one is coming forward wih the answers.
HOWARD
its not hearsay there has been a document published on a 10 year plan to close play areas around the District and to have just 10 or so play areas in all of the District there are differing views on this, all im trying to point out is more and more are to close and people should be aware to late when they have all gone.
But in general im realy happy for PENCESTER it is good, but here in priory we still wait for the play area taken away to be replaced, loads of promises.
Pencester will be well used and im pleased its there, but there is a bigger picture, but as i say if theres an update
please feel free to post
waiting,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Oh dear Roger sue is starting to spill the beans, so it is true!!
so there will only be 10 or so play areas
well i did tell you!
Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
That was HRA the general fund ones to be kept .Elmsvale,the Butts,MarkeWood ,Pencester,Kearsney Abbey,,Russell Gardens.Connaught Park.I think that is the strategic sites.
There are Deal HRA ones to be kept.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Sue says ''strategic sites'' but who decides that and how strategic are they if you are a single mum living on Mount Rd in Maxton with 2 pre school age kids to cart around.
Money should be made available from council funds to keep the out of town parks opened.How can we critise the kids for lolling around when they have nothing to do within their own neighbourhood.
Perhaps fining the yobs that abuse the kiddies park and fining the drunks that make Pencester and Dover town centre a 'no go area' after 8pm would raise funds that could be directly channeled back into providing amenities for the pre-teens would be a step in the right direction. If we abandon the very young then this vicious circle will never be broken.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
Marek,a firm of consultants were engaged and they produced extremely lenghty documents.Every Play area in Dover District was visited.I tnink there were 75 in all .The number of playareas in our district per population was very high.A record of every piece of equipment was recorded .A plan of costings was drawn up and DDC required 3 million to maintain all the play areas.
Play areas were defined as local just a short walk away and neighbour hood ones.There was a lot of consultation.
The decision was made by councillors after reading the Play areas stratergy.There was a lot of reading involved.
It was also noted a lot of families have swings and slides in their gardens.The public are consulted on what they want their money spent on Play areas did not feature high on the list.
I could go on and on but I have been working on the Play areas for over three years.
I think Pencester is lovely .
Raise council tax and who knows Dont forget we are capped .
HRA money is ringfenced.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Sue
Thanks for your response and info.Point taken.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Whilst cutting through Pencester this afternoon past the New improved playground/centre/park. I noticed that there were two of the boys in blue doing a 'hearts and minds' in the skateboard park with the local 'yoofs'
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
I have had a meeting with Charles Walker and asked the question at the last full Council when it was going to come clean over Play spaces,and I have the listed which I am told will be made clearer very soon over what is happening to play areas.
Sue I think your 75 areas included cemetaries not the ideal place to play although I once ........................ better stop there.
But I can tell you that play areas will shut as Keith and I have told you,some have already had equipment removed,others run down until they are dangerous.
The site in the Clarendon area is still in discussion and although I was told that discussions are ongoing on 1 site,I understand that that has already changed.
Lots of the sites are being'offered' to Town and Parish Councils,but that does mean that some will be double rated,let me explain that,you pay at the moment through your Council Tax for the play areas now,when 'offered' to your Town or Parish you will not get a rebate on your Council Tax,but you can bet the Town or Parish will charge you for your 'new' play area.Take Guston the Parish Council will aquire the site and next year your rates will go up to pay for the management of that site,well that site will be divided by the cost to every house in Guston.
Green areas are a right to us all, and as various people have said there is little to do for youngsters,Yes I am pleased that the Pencester Play area is looking good,but don't be fooled,this money didn't come from the Council it came from a lottery grant,but of course you will never make green areas pay for themselves and they shouldn't as they for everyones recreation.But the problem is in someways with Pencester is having all those young children in the same area as some of our wino friends is not the best situation,that is like having a play area in a pub!
That should perk up the debate!
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!