Well done Hyndburn Parks dept

[Margaret Pilkington]

Neil, thank you for your very comprehensive answer.
I did not consider your post to be a rant.....it comes from someone who is in the know and is passionate about these places.

I thought long and hard about many aspects of the issues to do with Parks....and green spaces.

We have a college of further education. Would it not be possible to get some of the students who are doing construction/building courses to help out with the rebuilding of paths. The work would of course be supervised in much the way that other practical courses are supervised - by someone qualified...and their work would be assessed as part of the course they are doing.
Their efforts could be recognised by having their names on a tile/stone somewhere along the path.(I was going to suggest a brass plate, but that would fall prey to metal thieves, no doubt)
Everyone likes to leave a lasting memory of themselves behind. This would be a lovely way to do that.
Getting young people involved is definitely a good thing....it gives them some feeling of having put something into their community. A sense of pride
You are more likely to respect something that you have put work or effort into...much less likely to damage it or want to see it damaged.
Just my thoughts....not sure how practical these suggestions are...but if you don't think of them then they cannot be used at all

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Neil

Don't laugh to much but the picture isn't even Rhyddings Park as stated by the Observer, it's probably Whiteash Playing Fields

Have to say i didn't recognise it as Rhyddings, which is why i put ossy park, But to digress a bit though yeh could say its the same thing, Read where Mr Moss has given a strong talking too,to "Persistent Vandals" thats another story in the paper, if thats all kids have to worry about, the fight will never be won.

[shillelagh]

been in town today and coming past oakhill park on the way up on the bus there were a few families in the park enjoying picnics and the sun ... like neil says it depends on the weather on how theyre used ... I think over the last couple of months they've been used more because of the weather ..

[Margaret Pilkington]

Oakhill Park always seems to be well used.
Lots of dog walkers each time we pass. Mercer Park likewise. People walking for fitness and health, young folk using the skate park bit....but Gatty park doesn't seem to be used much and I pass frequently and at different times. They have a good childrens play area too, which I would have thought would get more use.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Neil, thank you for your very comprehensive answer.
I did not consider your post to be a rant.....it comes from someone who is in the know and is passionate about these places.

I thought long and hard about many aspects of the issues to do with Parks....and green spaces.

We have a college of further education. Would it not be possible to get some of the students who are doing construction/building courses to help out with the rebuilding of paths. The work would of course be supervised in much the way that other practical courses are supervised - by someone qualified...and their work would be assessed as part of the course they are doing.
Their efforts could be recognised by having their names on a tile/stone somewhere along the path.(I was going to suggest a brass plate, but that would fall prey to metal thieves, no doubt)
Everyone likes to leave a lasting memory of themselves behind. This would be a lovely way to do that.
Getting young people involved is definitely a good thing....it gives them some feeling of having put something into their community. A sense of pride
You are more likely to respect something that you have put work or effort into...much less likely to damage it or want to see it damaged.
Just my thoughts....not sure how practical these suggestions are...but if you don't think of them then they cannot be used at all

It would be good yes but I would guess there are all sorts of reasons that would make it difficult to actually do. Paths would be a no no because it's not something I expect college would have the skills or equipment to do.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by cashman

Have to say i didn't recognise it as Rhyddings, which is why i put ossy park, But to digress a bit though yeh could say its the same thing, Read where Mr Moss has given a strong talking too,to "Persistent Vandals" thats another story in the paper, if thats all kids have to worry about, the fight will never be won.

I reported 4 kids for setting a fire on the tarmac in front of the youth shelter in Rhyddings to the Police, I supplied photos and names of all 4 kids - they were late teens. I have heard nothing and I would be surprised if the Police even visited them.

I didn't know the kids but I posted the pictures on facebook and they were shared by 115 people, many of them I don't even know. I had messages and full conversations with people I don't know giving me the names and saying how wrong it was. Many who contacted me were the same age and went to school with the 4.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Neil

It would be good yes but I would guess there are all sorts of reasons that would make it difficult to actually do. Paths would be a no no because it's not something I expect college would have the skills or equipment to do.

Surely construction workers learn to do paths.......and have there been any enquiries with this aim in mind?
Equipment could surely be hired and maybe with the right kind of reresentation, at reduced charges.
I know you have to make a penny do the work of sixpence.
Of course, these are only ideas off the top of my head......they may be a bit like dandruff, small, flaky and useless .

[accyman]

Originally Posted by Neil

I reported 4 kids for setting a fire on the tarmac in front of the youth shelter in Rhyddings to the Police, I supplied photos and names of all 4 kids - they were late teens. I have heard nothing and I would be surprised if the Police even visited them.

I didn't know the kids but I posted the pictures on facebook and they were shared by 115 people, many of them I don't even know. I had messages and full conversations with people I don't know giving me the names and saying how wrong it was. Many who contacted me were the same age and went to school with the 4.

if the police had acted you would have heard by now as they usually pop round to tell you they have had a word or call you if you leave contact details.Its a pitty the paper didnt run teh story as park wins award despite firebug vandals and ran photos of the kids setting fires as well as one of a park

[Neil]

I didn't tell the paper, they might have put another picture of the wrong park in

[westendlass]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Neil, thank you for your very comprehensive answer.
I did not consider your post to be a rant.....it comes from someone who is in the know and is passionate about these places.

I thought long and hard about many aspects of the issues to do with Parks....and green spaces.

We have a college of further education. Would it not be possible to get some of the students who are doing construction/building courses to help out with the rebuilding of paths. The work would of course be supervised in much the way that other practical courses are supervised - by someone qualified...and their work would be assessed as part of the course they are doing.
Their efforts could be recognised by having their names on a tile/stone somewhere along the path.(I was going to suggest a brass plate, but that would fall prey to metal thieves, no doubt)
Everyone likes to leave a lasting memory of themselves behind. This would be a lovely way to do that.
Getting young people involved is definitely a good thing....it gives them some feeling of having put something into their community. A sense of pride
You are more likely to respect something that you have put work or effort into...much less likely to damage it or want to see it damaged.
Just my thoughts....not sure how practical these suggestions are...but if you don't think of them then they cannot be used at all

I remember the YTS/YOP schemes back in the eighties Margaret, these were very similar to what you suggest. The unemployed were given a little bit more than their dole money and were taken out fixing paths, patching walls up etc,(my brothers did it). One of my brothers helped to build the BMX track next to Harvey Street, needless to say this is now a scruffy eyesore which has never been maintained since. I do not think these schemes were very popular at the time though and fizzled out.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by westendlass

I remember the YTS/YOP schemes back in the eighties Margaret, these were very similar to what you suggest. The unemployed were given a little bit more than their dole money and were taken out fixing paths, patching walls up etc,(my brothers did it). One of my brothers helped to build the BMX track next to Harvey Street, needless to say this is now a scruffy eyesore which has never been maintained since. I do not think these schemes were very popular at the time though and fizzled out.

the problem is as time goes by more and more dreaded health and safety rules are dreamed up that prevent people from contributing or helping to better their area.It wasnt that long ago i was reading about a retired bloke who went out his way to make a bench for walkers to sit on along a canal bank i think it was and he was ordered to break it up or face prosecution from his council.It seems you need a high viz jacket and someone with a clipboard to do anything these days.Rolling your sleeeves up and getting on with the job in question is a thing long lost in the past.

i just remembered while typing this about a bloke who trimmed back some untidy shrubbery infront of his home and was prosecuted for criminal dammage by a council

[Neil]

The Police told me recently that something that grows back isn't classed as criminal damage. We were talking about the ignorant idiots who park in the grass verges on my street at the time.

I don't agree and think it was an excuse to do nothing