Grove Park
Gail Lowther, Chair of Friends of Grove Park writes:
“At our last committee meeting of the Friends of Grove Park, we met with Jackie Smallwood from the Parks Dept and she said that work to install the new play equipment should start mid November. So hopefully the new play equipment should be in place well before Christmas. If anyone wants to see a plan of the proposed alterations there is a copy up in the noticeboard in the park.”
Queens Park
As I understand it, children’s play apparatus within Wirral parks has traditionally been replaced every 20 years and next year would have been Queens Park’s turn again. That isn’t scheduled to happen however and as a result Jan Foster and the Hoylake in Bloom group have been attempting to have funds allocated to the park play area. I think some funding has however been secured to replace the well-used, rotten picnic benches within the play area.
The brick building (gardeners hut) by the bowling green within the park has just had a replacement roof.
How long have the street-lights within the park been off? Is it just me or were the lights working earlier this year?
Parade Gardens
The two bowling greens are now treated and fed and many of the grass verges have been trimmed and tidied. There hasn’t been any sign this week of the works for the forthcoming mosaic and sensory garden area.
The plan showing the new equipment to be installed in Grove Park over the next few weeks can be seen in the doorway of Costcutter, the convenience shop opposite the park, not the noticeboard as the gates are already firmly locked!. The layout shows the new equipment to be installed, any remaining equipment will be painted and refurbished. There are regulations dictating what type of play equipment is appropriate for the younger age group this area is designed for and further regulations dictating the space required to be left inbetween pieces of equipment for people to move around safety. The Friends of Grove Park are really pleased with the scheme and are now turning their attention to the upgrading and improving the rest of the park area.
Ideas and support always welcome.
I have been trying to get the council to fix the 4 lights in Queens Park for the past couple of weeks. I am now informed that these lights were installed by the Friends of Queens park and are therefore not adopted by the Council. they are trying to get hold of someone who may know who origionally installed these lights were the power source is etc and then they (the council) will consider adopting these lights and maintaining them. If anyone knows how to contact anyone from the friends of Queens Park can they please contact the council to see if we can get these lights restored.
The lights in Queen’s Park
The Friends of Hoylake in Bloom did indeed pay for and install the lighting in Queen’s Park, and as chairman I too have been trying to get the Council to carry out some maintenance on the lighting. At present there are 2 lamps out, 2 of the clear bowls have gone and need replacing and 4 lanterns need to be re-alligned. In addition the time clock installed in the electrical supply pillar, by the council, has not been changed to take into account the change in time due to the clocks going back. The street lighting section say they are not their responsibility, so have passed the work to the Parks Department.
The Parks Department have come back to us asking for help, they have neither the equipment nor the expertise to do the work. As things stand we, as the Friends of Hoylake in Bloom, are going to do the work ourselves, that is me up a ladder! Health and Safety issues don’t apply to us, only council employees.
The first stumbling block is the key to open the locks on the supply pillar. Earlier this year the council replaced the door and frame of the pillar with an all steel combination with new locks,. We do not have a key and the Parks Department don’t know who replaced the door and hence might still have the key. Originally there was a photocell controlling the installation, this was housed in the pillar, but the steel door made that unuseable, so a time clock was fitted. We were not told of any of these works being carried out, we were not unduly concerned about either as we thought the installation was in the hands of the council.It seems that now some work and hence expenditure is needed it all belongs to us again!
It would seem from Linda Wilson’s comments that someone within the council is not in possession of the same information as we have been given. I should add that the power source was there well before the lighting was installed and is owned by the council, the same council that replaced the door and photocell within the pillar, they seemed to know where it was then.
In the meantime I will continue to liaise with the council, and as soon as I take delivery of the lamps, bowls and keys I will come along with my ladder and fix it all.
John Lindley
Chairman, Friends of Hoylake in Bloom
not Friends of Queen’s Park