Ger-Y-Parc Country Park

[Admin]

What do you think of the proposed country park at the top of Priory Gardens?


At first I had my reservations but I had imagined a small play park, not the much larger country park being proposed.

Although my initial concerns have diminshed, I do still have issues regarding upkeep and how we handle antisocial behaviour and mis-use.

From http://www.langstonecc.org.uk/

Ger-y-Parc covers approximately 4 hectares and is bounded by the A449 dual carriageway, Catsash Road to the east and Silures Way/Stockwood View/Priory Gardens to the south. At present it is rough scrubland with heaps of builders rubble in places.

The concept is a Country Park with facilities for all ages. These would include stone paths around the perimeter and radially to the central high ground. There would be seating at regular intervals, tree planting, a pond and barbecue areas. For the younger ones there would be an informal kickabout area, a cableway ride, a mountain bike track and various other "adventure" activities.

There are two principal means of access. A barrier control access for vehicles from Priory Gardens, and another for pedestrians from Catsash Road. This latter may be made suitable for vehicles if land acquisition issues can be resolved.

In the recent village questionnaire 994 respondents were asked if there should be special open spaces in Langstone for local people to picnic and for local children to play. 791 said "yes" and 69 said "no". A number of designs have been prepared and budget costed. These are not yet finalised and features such as a nature reserve could be incorporated

2

[Sue]

I'm all for this. I think the idea is fundamentally a good one, but its not just about establishing a park is it? That, if anything, is the easy bit. It's what happens afterwards. I agree we need more info on issues such as maintenance and how antisocial behaviour will be discouraged. As one of the 791 people who supported the idea of open spaces for people to meet and children to play, I look forward to seeing how the idea develops.

[Arnie]

I second the previous comments, good idea but how will it be managed.

[Wales Jay]

It may well be true that 791 people supported the idea for "open recreational space" but at the time they were canvassed, were they told where exactly the park was going to be?

[Shan]

Desperately need somewhere safe for local children to play.
Love the concept, but having seen all the children that come onto this estate from out of Langstone, (Halloween for example), have grave concerns about misuse.

This estate is currently a relatively safe place for our children to play but attracting more kids to the area may change this.

[Wales Jay]

Agree with you totally and this is a big concern. It won't be just for the use of our community and children even though that's the intention. There is no way you can restrict access and use of a public park and I think whoever is behind it's development, needs to give very careful consideration to both it's ultimate use and it's location and also take into account what the community really want.

[SallieM]

I have spent a considerable amount of time working on this project as a community councillor. We will be rescheduling the public meeting shortly and all your issues and concerns can be discussed. Plans will also be on display for you to comment on. We are not looking to put in large amounts of play equipment, bike or skate board tracks. The main objective of the project is to introduce wild flowers, trees and nature trails. We also hope to incorporate a trim track/paths suitable for push chairs etc.

I can understand concerns about anti social behaviour, but all such issues will be discussed and we will do our best to address them. It is unlikely that the sort of park we are proposing will attract large amounts of visitors from outside of Langstone. It will not contain the sort of equipment that teenagers would want to use.

We would also like to include picnic benches and nature information boards. There are very few facilities for families with children in Langstone and I think this scheme should be looked at in a more postive light.

I live opposite the Park End playing field and have personally never witnessed any anti social behaviour. In any case, what complaints have been made about the park concern the football nets. We are not looking to put these in Ger Y Parc.

We are also looking at parking facilities for the site. The date for the meeting will be advertised in due course.

[Wales Jay]

Thank you SallieM for your response. May I just say if the main objective of this park is to introduce wild flowers, trees and nature trails, I suggest you take a walk outside where we have all of those things in abundance together with trim track/paths suitable for push chairs etc which are easily located on all our lanes and pathways in Langstone.

As to yoru comments on "It will not contain the sort of equipment that teenagers would want to use" since when did "teenagers" not constitue as being part of a family? You go on to say that "There are very few facilities for families with children in Langstone" you omit to say families without teenagers.

And I am sooo glad you won't be putting in football nets. My 2 year old grandson will be soooo disappointed as he just loves to kick a ball into a net - as so do I - are we anti social? I can assure you we are not.

Finally, my last question - has the name for this "park" already been decided

[RMogford]

Just wondering; what is the alternative to 'landscaping' this area and giving it a degree of protection; more housing?

[SallieM]

Wales Jay

Not sure what point you are trying to make here!

I am sure it is extremely pleasant to push your child along the pathways alongside the A48 with lorries speading past. Most of the other walk ways alongside such lanes as Catash Road are also extremely dangerous. As for wild flowers?? I supose you could count the weeds in the concrete planters!:D

[Admin]

SallieM, thank you for your post and I welcome input from somebody directly involved with the project. I think we all appreciate your reassurances, especially given that you are local resident and the park will have a direct effect on you.

I must admit that I currently find the paths and walkways in Langstone extremely limited and in very poor condition. Myself and my wife frequently take our 4 and 1 year old girls for a walk but we?re usually limited to walking up the A48 to Hurrans and back. Occasionally we make the short trip to McDonalds but again the paths are not well suited to a buggy and the continuous traffic distracts from the pleasure.

I agree that Langstone does lack any open useable space, suitable for families but my initial reservations about inappropriate use remain. Even so, I feel the proposal of a country park is a positive action and I personally applaud the effort being made.

I very much look forward to the public meeting and hope that these concerns can be addressed

[Admin]

Just wondering; what is the alternative to 'landscaping' this area and giving it a degree of protection; more housing?

Yes, if we don't use this land then eventually a developer is likely to build more houses on it.

I personally would not like to see this, the traffic infrastructure is already oversubscribed.

[Admin]

As to yoru comments on "It will not contain the sort of equipment that teenagers would want to use" since when did "teenagers" not constitue as being part of a family? You go on to say that "There are very few facilities for families with children in Langstone" you omit to say families without teenagers.


I think SallieM's point was that the park will be designed to attract families (including teenagers) and will offer little to groups of teenagers on their own.

[RMogford]

And I am sooo glad you won't be putting in football nets. My 2 year old grandson will be soooo disappointed as he just loves to kick a ball into a net - as so do I - are we anti social? I can assure you we are not.

Finally, my last question - has the name for this "park" already been decided


Am I right in detecting a degree of sarcasm and sub-text; don't forget to use the smilies as appropriate :D

[Admin]

From Langstonecc.org:

A revised date for a public consultation meeting has been arranged for 7 pm on 29 September 2008 in the Village Hall.


http://www.langstonecc.org.uk/lcc/villagenews/ger-y-parc.shtml

[Admin]

Anybody know the latest on this proposal? Is it still on the cards?

[SallieM]

Simon Lane and the residents of Ger y parc made it very clear they did not want the park so the project was scrapped.:faint:

[steve]

Simon Lane and the residents of Ger y parc made it very clear they did not want the park

I hope there is evidence to back that statement up.

[Simon Lane]

Sallie M is quite wrong in stating that I did not want the park; I, as a Langstone Ward Councillor, merely represented the concerns of the residents who live close by and may be affected by issues arising out of the placement of a Park as originally proposed. Interestingly, and contrary to what had originally been stated by the proposer of this park, no canvassing had been undertaken of the local residents. I actually went and knocked on doors and spoke with the residents.

At the Public meeting held last year, there were a number of issues raised which could not be resolved; a working group was set up to work through these and the other concerns raised; none of the issues were subsequently resolved; the Park has been put on hold, with more pressing matters being addressed by the Community Council.

However, I should like to highlight a number of current issues with the present Park in the middle of Langstone: anti social behaviour, lack of funds for upkeep, no money provided by the City Council to support and maintain the Park and the equipment therein, despite the City funding a large proportion of the park equipment originally; effectively, there was no long term plan put in place. The Community Council, after many years of my campaigning for such, are starting to address some of these issues, but there is some considerable way to go in providing a clean, safe and enjoyable environment within the Park for all residents (especially families with young children). Given that this Park cannot be run as effectively as we would wish at the moment, I would suggest that we should not start a major project such as has been suggested without a proper business case, funding and long term maintenance plan (including funding).