Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
As some of you will know on here I live very near to Connaught Park and walk our dog Fifi there most days. Everytime I come home after the walk I feel quite upset at the state of this once beautiful park and it's getting worse by the week.
I've got to know quite a few dog owners, joggers and walkers and they all feel pretty depressed about it all too. Why is this park so neglected, no flowers throughout the summer, the grass is left to grow knee high over the rolling hillside of the park, the pond with its beautiful sculpture/fountain is completely grubby, in fact almost everything is grubby. The once well kept tennis courts have been left to decay. Are there plans afoot to get rid of the park, well that is the only logical conclusion I can come to. If so, it will be a great shame.
One can see beautiful views from there, the squirrel life in autumn is always in abundance, we go to feed them every year. The aviary is still there and that at least seems well looked after as is the children's play area which was refurbished a couple of years back.
Connaught Park is a real gem for the people of Dover and should by all accounts be carefully and lovingly looked after. Why is it being left to deteriorate like this?
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
yes it's a shame to see a gem left to be rundown so much,through the lack of money,resourses and neglect.come on ddc get of your backsides and bring back this public park back to its full use.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
Hear! Hear! Brian, well said
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i went through it in july and it definitely had that forgotten feel about it, the excellent state of the art play area looked distinctly out of place with the surroundings.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
It's an utter disgrace
Come-on DDC, enlighten us
Guest 730- Registered: 5 Nov 2011
- Posts: 221
I walk round there two or three times a week. Yes it does seem rather neglected
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
could it go the same way as some of the play areas?
we know the routine, cut down on maintenance so less and less people use it then say that nobody wants it anymore.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Years Ago They done a write up on what I said in the press also I wrote it on this very forum,I said then and I am saying it again now,the only way to save this great park is make it smaller and the way that should be done is as follow.
The top part of the part is only used mainly by the Dog walkers,What should be done is the park cut into two parts and the top part should go as housing,but not the kind of house you or I would buy,but houses over £700.000 to a £million or even more,.this would act in twoways,(1) It would bring to Dover the class of public that is missing,and coming with that would be funding the town is missing,also along with this would be funding from the builders to keep the other half of the park looking great again back to what it was but smaller.We would get back the gardens and bring back the park keepers,and that is what is needed.This the only way the park can be safe for ever,because if it is not done, the park will keep going the way is,and in the end it will go anyway, but not the way we would to see it ended up,it will go and housing might go there anyway but not the kind the town needs.Last time I was shouted down over this,and it will happen again,but what I am telling you is true,and the best thing for all of you is back what I am saying and it is the only way. Thank you.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I've sent your comments on to Property Services at DDC and copied Nigel in too.
Roger
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Are you talking about the ones I done or the others,they already know how I think about it, but please go ahead it was along time ago.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#9 - sounds rather like what people are opposing for the Western Heights....
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
District Councils cannot supply the services they should.they do not have the funds to do
so.
Hence the closure of toilets.They are desperate to off-load their responsibilities to Town /
Parish councils District Councils are past their sell by date................East Kent Council ?..
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
That is Right Mr Scotchie,and I also said that years go to,again it is the only way to save the heights,you are some what ahead of the park and it might come off,if it does it will be the saving of what you have up there,if not over the years it will come anyway and then you will have no say in what goes up there,so back what is on the table now.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the last thing we need is precious green space within towns given over to yet more housing, i would be interested to know whether there are safeguards in place to stop development.
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
I walk the dog in the park twice a day most days, is it really that bad? Perhaps as I'm there so often I don't notice it.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
There are houses and there are houses,we need the top ones now as I have already said£700.000+ you do not need safeguards for that kind,it is called forward thinking Dover needs more upper class public now,They do not print anymore in the press what I say,but it is still true.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Well there are others who would,it is one of the best views and surrroudings with a great seeing range of vision in the UK right across to France,and all the shiping,I am talking about homes and £700.000 would get you one of the smaller ones.Homes and familys like that would change Dover overnight and with out it There is not much hope for Dover geting any better infact it could still go downhill this would stop it.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Mr Scotchie,You are looking at Dover as it is today,I am looking at what it could be like with the right kind of person on the council with backing and money,is that kind of person about? yes to that there is aways persons like that even at the hard times we are in,again it is about forward thinking.
