What a shame

[katex]

Originally Posted by Neil

In my opinion Hyndburn has too many green spaces to look after with the current size of its parks department. I was very disapointed when they created the new one off Henry Street in Church. Why create a new one when they can't afford to look after what they have?
Maybe Accrington should loose one of its parks, it has several while Oswaldtwistle only has one park yet has half the population of Accrington.

Agree Neil, (did try to put this thought up on last post, but timed out, too busy chatting ) too many parks now .. people don't utilise them at all .. have cars and travel away for the weekend, and access on leisure hours to other venues. Was different in the old days during industrial success .. think some could be flattened and just green open spaces for walking areas.

[park381]

Originally Posted by Neil

Another problem is that the vandalism is not being repaired. The Council have to work with the Police to sort out many of the issues we have in the parks.

What of the CCTV adjacent to the play area, and the Ryhddings Park N.W. and their cameras, are none of them working?

Local residents don't help either. I am expecting a lot of resistance ( we have had some already ) about our plans to puts things into Rhyddings park for the secondary school sort of age group. They have nothing to do and no where to go in the park. They end up hanging around in the kiddies play area - many of them started playing in there when it was new and they were in primary school. There is nothing for them to move on to so they stay. They also hang around on the benches around the bowling green which causes problems as well.

By local residents, do you mean the ones living on Park Lane?
I have seen the teenagers (secondary school age group) cause problems for many years, they have no respect for other peoples property. What are the police and LCC doing, has the youth club on Harvey street been closed.

In my opinion Hyndburn has too many green spaces to look after with the current size of its parks department. I was very disapointed when they created the new one off Henry Street in Church. Why create a new one when they can't afford to look after what they have? I am sure it was funded from some grant or another but when that ends HBC will have to pay to maintain it.

Was the Henry street one not a "Remade" project with external funding, I have never seen the gates fronting Henry street unlocked yet, may be the area is only for show and not for playing on

Maybe Accrington should loose one of its parks, it has several while Oswaldtwistle only has one park yet has half the population of Accrington. The park is also close to the towns border with Spring Hill so attracts a lot of visitors from that area of Accrington as well.

What about all the green space fronting Blackburn road, what are HBC doing to clean that up. On the subject of Accrington loosing one of its parks, what would you like to see in its place, blocks of flats.
No I think HBC should get its act together and stop spending silly money on hiring high flying consultants to carry out all these pointless surveys, money that could and should have been spent on park maintenance. Has there not already one been carried out on the number of parks/green spaces in Hyndburn, have the results from that survey been published yet?

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

Out of interest, where do convicted offenders do their community service?
If the very people convicted of vandalism were the ones tidying the parks up they may, just may develop a bit of civic pride.

[AccyLass]

Originally Posted by Morecambe Ex Pat

Out of interest, where do convicted offenders do their community service?
If the very people convicted of vandalism were the ones tidying the parks up they may, just may develop a bit of civic pride.

Excellent point!

[park381]

Originally Posted by Morecambe Ex Pat

Out of interest, where do convicted offenders do their community service?
If the very people convicted of vandalism were the ones tidying the parks up they may, just may develop a bit of civic pride.

A very good point, could we add a few more to that group

[churchman phil]

Originally Posted by Neil

In my opinion Hyndburn has too many green spaces to look after with the current size of its parks department. I was very disapointed when they created the new one off Henry Street in Church. Why create a new one when they can't afford to look after what they have? I am sure it was funded from some grant or another but when that ends HBC will have to pay to maintain it.

This area is a complete waste of money. Apart from the enclosed 'Football Pitch'* - which kids can't use 'cos it's always locked - there hasn't been anything created for the kids. It's just a landscaped mess imo that is fast becoming a doggie toilet.
Oh!! Sorry, my mistake, theres a couple of picnic benches to vandalise.

*If it is possible to call it such. I watched for a number of days as the workmen went about 'levelling' the area. It's awful!! Slopes in at least two directions, grass is sparse, no goalposts and it ain't even marked out the last I saw! Pointless operation.

So I have to agree Neil - the money would have been better off being directed to other parks in the borough.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by churchman phil

This area is a complete waste of money. Apart from the enclosed 'Football Pitch'* - which kids can't use 'cos it's always locked - there hasn't been anything created for the kids.

Please describe what that is please. I have not actually stopped to look but just passed it on Henry Street.

I must have a look at it when I get chance.

[park381]

Originally Posted by Neil

In my opinion Hyndburn has too many green spaces to look after with the current size of its parks department. I was very disapointed when they created the new one off Henry Street in Church. Why create a new one when they can't afford to look after what they have? I am sure it was funded from some grant or another but when that ends HBC will have to pay to maintain it.

Maybe Accrington should loose one of its parks, it has several while Oswaldtwistle only has one park yet has half the population of Accrington. The park is also close to the towns border with Spring Hill so attracts a lot of visitors from that area of Accrington as well.

One interesting figure I have just pulled out of the bid is that the population within a 1km catchment area of the park is over 14,000.

Neil, here's your chance to have a say in the number of parks in Hyndburn our council are after comments and thoughts, to influence the "new borough development plan"
Have on a say on Hyndburn's future developments (From Lancashire Telegraph)

[park381]

Originally Posted by Neil

In my opinion Hyndburn has too many green spaces to look after with the current size of its parks department. I was very disapointed when they created the new one off Henry Street in Church. Why create a new one when they can't afford to look after what they have? I am sure it was funded from some grant or another but when that ends HBC will have to pay to maintain it.

Maybe Accrington should loose one of its parks, it has several while Oswaldtwistle only has one park yet has half the population of Accrington. The park is also close to the towns border with Spring Hill so attracts a lot of visitors from that area of Accrington as well.

One interesting figure I have just pulled out of the bid is that the population within a 1km catchment area of the park is over 14,000.

Neil, here's your chance to have a say in the number of parks in Hyndburn our council are after comments and thoughts, to influence the "new borough development plan"
Have on a say on Hyndburn's future developments (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Perhaps they should sell off part of Rhyddings Park to a poperty developer to build some houses, and write a clause in to the planning permission, that the developer maintains the remaining part of the park for 10 years on completion of the development.
That could also apply to other parks in the borough

Looks like a double post, sorry about that

[Neil]

Originally Posted by park381

Perhaps they should sell off part of Rhyddings Park to a poperty developer to build some houses, and write a clause in to the planning permission, that the developer maintains the remaining part of the park for 10 years on completion of the development.
That could also apply to other parks in the borough

If the park was bigger it might be a good option.

We are struggling to fit what we feel is needed in the park with its current size. As I posted above it has a high population to service - 14,000 within 1km

[park381]

Originally Posted by Neil

If the park was bigger it might be a good option.

We are struggling to fit what we feel is needed in the park with its current size. As I posted above it has a high population to service - 14,000 within 1km

I think the park is big enough, you would get a few high value houses on there.
Are there not several football/playing fields also within 1km, what about those? Why try to re-invent the wheel.

[park381]

Here's the form..have your say

http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/downloa...s_Proforma.pdf

[Neil]

Originally Posted by park381

I think the park is big enough, you would get a few high value houses on there.
Are there not several football/playing fields also within 1km, what about those? Why try to re-invent the wheel.

I meant the Park is not big enough to cut a chunk off and still be suitable for its catchment area. It is similar in size to parks with a much smaller population than Oswaldtwistle and half the size of Cutwood Park in Rhiston.

Access is also a problem.

Below is a list of recreation grounds currently maintained by Hyndburn Borough Council as stated on their website. None of which are in Ossy - there may be green spaces that don't belong to HBC like off Fielding Lane but these belong to LCC and Rhyddings School (sort of).

• Arden Hall Recreation Ground ~ Accrington
• Belthorn Recreation Ground ~ Belthorn
• Baxenden Recreation Ground ~ Baxenden
• Lyndon Avenue Recreation Ground ~ Great Harwood
• Alan Ramsbottom Way / Heys Lane Recreation Ground ~ Great Harwood
• Windsor Road Recreation Ground ~ Great Harwood
• Bolton Avenue Recreation Ground (Below) ~ Huncoat*
• Station Road Recreation Ground ~ Huncoat
• Knuzden Recreation Ground ~ Knuzden
• Harwood Road Recreation Ground~ Rishton
• Holt Street Recreation Ground~ Rishton

[park381]

Originally Posted by Neil

I meant the Park is not big enough to cut a chunk off and still be suitable for its catchment area. It is similar in size to parks with a much smaller population than Oswaldtwistle and half the size of Cutwood Park in Rhiston.

Access is also a problem.

Below is a list of recreation grounds currently maintained by Hyndburn Borough Council as stated on their website. None of which are in Ossy - there may be green spaces that don't belong to HBC like off Fielding Lane but these belong to LCC and Rhyddings School (sort of).

Access to Ryhddings park has always been a problem, and always will be until HBC provide some parking spaces in the park.

I also thought that all parks were there for all to enjoy not just the adjacent catchment area to a specific park

You forgot Harvey street, both sides of the road, that's in Ossy, and is a large area of land, green space.

I thought Knuzden was part of Ossy ? or has it been moved over the border without us knowing

[Neil]

Originally Posted by park381

Access to Rhyddings park has always been a problem, and always will be until HBC provide some parking spaces in the park.

Parking was in the bid but for users of the Coaching House. PArt of the problem with parking is that people want to park 12" from the park gates then go and walk around the park. The park has been here well before cars were common. Parking is always going to be a problem for Rhyddings Park as it is for a lot of Oswaldtwistle.

When we held our last event we tried to encourage local people to walk to the park and leave theirs cars at home.

Originally Posted by park381

I also thought that all parks were there for all to enjoy not just the adjacent catchment area to a specific park

Of course they are but funding bids often refer to the 1km catchment area so it is bid talk really. It also points out the high number very local to the park.

Originally Posted by park381

You forgot Harvey street, both sides of the road, that's in Ossy, and is a large area of land, green space.

I did not forget it but for some reason it is not mentioned on the HBC website where I took my quote from. I wondered if it belonged to LCC like the area off Fielding Lane.
One side is mainly bookable football pitches and the other is a nice large grassed area. Neither side can really be classed as a true formal park.

Originally Posted by park381

I thought Knuzden was part of Ossy ? or has it been moved over the border without us knowing

I don't understand the question.