No use of Peckham Rye Park before 08:00

[Selma]

I am not sure I am the only one wanting to use the lovely Peckham Rye Park in the morning.

It has been very frustrating that very often most of the gates towards Harris Girl school (Colyton Rd) are close (I go through it just before 08:00 every morning). So you spend a lot of time franticly trying to get out. I have tried (to no avail) to get the Parks ?official? opening hours from the council (I have had several ?someone will get back to you? but no one never does). This morning while trying to get out and run in to a park worker that was going round opening gates (he was in no rush- he was already at work). I was informed by him that the park doesn?t officially open until 08:00 and before that people are not suppose to use it (he said people do anyway, but they shouldn?t)

Is it just me who thinks that a park that the council spend a lot of money on keeping up, does not open until 08:00 (that is 2h after sun rise) is a waste.

There must be dog walkers/ jobbers/ people on their way to work that agree with me!

[Sue]

Perhaps the people who open the parks do not want to have to start work at dawn?

I wouldn't :))

[cate]

You can get in through a hole in the fence round by the gardeners' site. Just go through that way and don't sweat trying to get Southwark to change their policy.

[Lollipop]

We had a similar thread about Dulwich Park which operates on the 8am opening as well. I think all park users should put pressure on the council to open parks earlier so people can jog etc. Especially now they have put the outdoor exercise machines in Dulwich as well as Peckham

[SteveT]

I have often wondered why parks are locked at all, no one can steal them and those intent on getting in will do so whether locked or not.

It seems a pointless expense employing someone to open and lock useless gates.

[tallgirl]

There have been cuts in the staffing of Southwark's Parks and Cemeteries (eg Peckham Rye Park shares a manager with other Parks now)which have resulted in shorter opening hours at some of the sites, eg I know that Nunhead cemetery a popular short cut for commuters is closing earlier in the evening than it has in previous summers. Our Lib Deb/ Tory run council have kept pretty quiet about this reduction in access to local amenities, I guess because it's less than a month to the elections.

[ImpetuousVrouw]

But we all pay for these ameneties. People should make a fuss. It worked with Dulwich Park and it's opened much earlier now.

[Sue]

SteveT Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have often wondered why parks are locked at all,

> no one can steal them and those intent on getting

> in will do so whether locked or not.

> It seems a pointless expense employing someone to

> open and lock useless gates.

xxxxxxxx

Surely it must deter some people from getting in.

And look what happened in St Francis park next to Sainsbury's when gates were left unlocked.

Personally I feel it is a good thing to have parks locked at night, even if a few people might want to climb over the railings.

[bobski]

opening at 8 when you need to get to work for say 9 is pretty crap especially when it is still open at 8 or later at night...when most people are at home having their supper...

the email of the person responsible is on each of the noticeboards..posting on the forum could be useful...if they received a number of emails in close succession he/she may take it more seriously...not sure but opening may be by outside contractor...not that it matters

[carolyn]

I noticed this morning as I was walking by the entrance on Colyton road that someone had made a new gap in the fence next to the gate there that most people ought to be able to squeeze through.

I too would love to see it opened a bit earlier. It would be nice if the opening times could change throughout the season just as the closing times do. No need for them to open at dawn but maybe at 7 after Daylight Savings kicks in which is when people have to start their commute or generally begin walking their dogs

[Selma]

Unfortunately I go thru the park with my son on my way to the Child minder, so I can?t squeeze through a hole in the fence with a buggy. What is ever more frustrating there is always a lot of activity early in the morning, so it?s not like there is not someone around to open.

[reetpetite]

Most of the park staff are there for work by or just past 7 am and they do open up most gates by 7.30 and even earlier even though the official time is at 8. My friend and I are in the park at 7 every weekday morning and if the gates are not open we go thru the fence by the gardeners yard and they dont mind that we do, they even help by pulling back the gate.Its not a break in the fence but an unlockable gate that just needs pulling open .Therefore you are not 'breaking in'.