Dawsons Hill Park / Space

[TJ]

Dear Mr Barber, I see some basic works taking place along the road side, but is there anything that can be done to improve this area?

The entrances via Donkey alley or Mount Adon Park are a muggers paradise and are now excessively over grown, the paths at the top of the hill (if you can call that dirt track which most people use a path) are hopeless, the access from the road similarly poor and really, considering the location, this should be a great local play space. As is is, the only creature benefiting from it are the local foxes.

A small play park would attract a huge number of local families and be a great play spot after school.

It seems that such a fantastic space, with some of the best views of / in London is ignored and is simply not being made the most of.

Best

TJ

[sophiesofa]

best to post this in the "ED councillor can I help thread"

[TJ]

I would but there are so many threads already in there and something like 30 pages to trawl through to find an answer, so being a lazy sod, I started a new thread....

[louisiana]

I live not far from Dawson's Hill and rather like the fact it's not manicured. In name, it's a Hill, not a Park. It's more a wildlife reserve than a park, and we have precious few of these. Any kind of play park would change the flavour of what is quite a small space. It contributes to providing a good corridor E-W for small creatures on the move.

After 25 years living close by, I've yet to see a mugger on the path from Mount Adon Park, or indeed on any of these roads or footpaths.

[Spacey]

louisiana Wrote:

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> I live not far from Dawson's Hill and rather like

> the fact it's not manicured. In name, it's a Hill,

> not a Park. It's more a wildlife reserve than a

> park, and we have precious few of these. Any kind

> of play park would change the flavour of what is

> quite a small space. It contributes to providing a

> good corridor E-W for small creatures on the move.

>

>

> After 25 years living close by, I've yet to see a

> mugger on the path from Mount Adon Park, or indeed

> on any of these roads or footpaths.

I very much agree! Please leave Dawson's Hill alone, it's a peaceful haven, not a park. I use the path from Mount Adon Park/Donkey Alley on a daily basis (I live on Dawson Heights estate - which has a children's play area if you're looking for one) and I've never met a mugger on route (not that I know what one looks like).

[Administrator]

As mentioned it is best to ask questions in the councillor's own thread, it's better to go to him rather than expect him to come to you.

[Burbage]

Spacey Wrote:

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> I very much agree! Please leave Dawson's Hill

> alone, it's a peaceful haven, not a park.

It's a nature reserve, apparently. A quick Google finds the Dawson's Hill Trust website which, among other things, shows you where to find the Zebra Spiders.

[TJ]

I had absolutely no idea it was a nature reserve.

I stand corrected in that case. It's a shame a neighbour who uses it regularly has no idea about these things. It would be great to see a little more information put up.

I would still lile to see the a from Donkey alley across to mount adon as the current track its very unsteady for anything other than walker (I mean a pram / buggy, not scrambler or 4wd..).

[James Barber]

Hi TJ,

I've just come across this thread and amazed to discover directed to me!

Dawson's Hill is actually in College ward but right on the border with East Dulwich ward. So 18 months ago the East Dulwich councillors via our Cleaner GReener Safer allocation funded a study into improving Dawsons Hill and I'm still waiting to see the report. Before I set people panicking. Improvement in terms of wildlife, safety, etc.

I'd anticipate a consultation will have taken place or will be taking place.

[TJ]

Perfect - Can you ask whoever is doing this to pls consult the streets surrounding the space? Dunstans, Donkey, Hillcourt Mount Adon etc? Even a flyer through the door would help make people aware as it could be a fantastic asset to so many more. Sorry if this was not to the right person, but you are the only person who seems to get things done.

TJ

[louisiana]

I'm not aware of any consultation having happened yet and I live in an adjoining street.

[Wardy]

I remember Dawsons Hill so well. It was a place us kids all visited during the school holidays in the 50?s and 60?s. Blackberrying was the name of the game. We would take jars, tins and any type of container to fill with Blackberries; great days. As a kid I didn?t know the history of Dawsons Hill, I always imagined it to be an old Bomb Site from the war. Its interesting to hear people say it should be a park. Leave it alone, its been there longer than anyone reading this; its Dawsons Hill not Dawsons Park.

[Chener Books]

In the eighteenth century it was known as Primrose Hill.

In the nineteenth century it became known as Ladlands.

It was still called Ladlands (by my family and friends) when I was a child.

John K

[TJ]

Wardy:

To get this clear, you visited it 50+ years ago and you feel it should stay that way? Ever heard of rose tinted glasses :-)

[pamelamcnamara]

I used to go up Dawsons Hill too. We called it 'the dump'. It was great fun swinging from ropes hung over the branches of the trees. I used to go on my own sometimes - I never thought anything about 'dodgy' men lurking about in those days but I would not want to be up there on my own nowadays!!

[fl0wer]

Dawson's Hill is actually a wildlife sanctuary.

In the midst of human habitation, if we don't garden and manage parks in a wildlife sensitive way then the biodiversity dies down, until all we are left with are a few crows and matted monocultures like buttercups.

The challenge for councils and wildlife trusts is to look after wild spaces so that they are sheltered from vandalism, and built spaces so that they have safety designed into them.

Fly tipping is a problem at the foot of Dawson's Hill, showing that not everyone understands & respects this site.

The council will look at ways to discourage repeat offending.

Plenty of ED folk really appreciate the lovely trees and views and left-alone wildflowers. Essential habitat.