One O'clock clubs closing

[Moflo]

It has come to my attention that all Southwark play areas are closing this summer. The premises I believe are being taken over by Children Centres and will not be open access. None of the one o'clock clubs have had any notices put up informing parents of this.

My thoughts are that if they reopen they will incur a charge for each session and will be restricted. If anyone has any more information or can shed more light please do so.

[nikki73]

I enquired at peckham rye today and they said they didn't know. I am dreading the summer without access to a 1 o'clock club.

[Moflo]

It's Peckham Rye, Leyton Square, GMH( imperial war museum) and Southwark Park. They seem to have kept it very quiet! I understand they are staggering closures from start Of school hOlidays. They will all be closed by end if August!

[nikki73]

Will pm Renata to see if she knows more.

[Fuschia]

Oh no

We already miss it because it is never open when we try

[Moflo]

They have been cut to alternate days! Peckham this week monday Wednesday and Friday! Next week Tuesday and Thursday. So when Peckham closed Leyton square is open. Quite frankly I don't think it is good enough!

[minder]

Looks like Southwark are going the way of Lambeth one o'clock clubs! Ruskin Park closed a little while ago, very popular club, and sadly missed.

[Renata Hamvas]

I will verify what is happening when I am in Tooley street in Friday. What I can confirm is happening is that Children's Centre's are taking over one O clock club buildings. The last information I had (but this is over a year old, so I need to verify that this hasn't changed), is that the Children's Centres would still run the stay and play (ie one O clock club) sessions, and would use the buildings for other activities at other times. Peckham Rye is a little different, as capital funds have been allocated to build a new facility on the same site, as the converted POW hut is not fit for purpose. It would therefore close for a few weeks while the building works take place.

Once I get to the bottom of this (most likely Friday) I will post again.

Renata

[Jessie]

A) Renata is brilliant

And

b) Oh my god, they can't close the one o'clock clubs. The peckham rye one literally kept me sane all those years ago when I was a v scared and lonesome new mum. It's vital for the community (though yes I can see how a POW hut is now not fit for purpose) .

[toomuchchocolate]

Thanks renata. I'm sure it will take more than a few weeks to knock down the last pow hut and build a new centre. I only hope the footprint of the new building won't be any bigger as it would be a shame to lose the good sized outdoor space the club currently has for the outdoor toys. I heard it will close in the next 3 months. It's a central gov decision.

Oh, and the ladies who currently run it will be out of jobs as the centre will mean they cannot work part time!

[Moflo]

Again job cuts under another guise! I've heard about the new building at Peckham but that was supposed to happen last year! They were supposed to be moving to another site!

Thanks Renata it will be good to know exactly what's happening! I've asked Wendy Heller but all I got was we would be informed in due course! I have used these clubs for over 30 years and would hate to lose an important resource for the community!

[Fuschia]

The area looks so neglected now

The expensive water channel is full of leaves, water never on

The toddler play kit is locked behind the fence, despite the initial plans for it to be available when the one o'clock club is closed

It's such a shame

[Moflo]

The water feature is a joke! Did the planners not realise that water does not flow uphill?? It was on yesterday but as you say the path was clogged with leaves and silt! The outside toys do leave a lot to be desired tho! very scruffy. But apart from that it is a resource that is needed. Yesterday it was packed, where are all those toddlers going to go if and when they close the groups!

[Renata Hamvas]

To update,

the Funds to run all the One O Clock clubs were cut, however, even with the cuts in funds money was earmarked to keep all the Children's centres open. Each of the One O Clock clubs is being taken over by a Children's Centre. They will be still running what the Council terms "Stay and Play" sessions ie open access One O Clock Club sessions. At times outside the "Stay and Play" sessions the Children's Centres will run other things in the buildings, which may or may not be open access dependant on what the activities are (eg they may run music or dance or art or other sessions).

The end result for parents will be therefore One O Clock clubs plus other activites.

I will raise the above about leaves in the Water Feature, and ask for it to be cleaned out regularly. I don't think the wet and windy weather has been helpful in this case!

Renata

[toomuchchocolate]

Thanks renata. To be honest it's not just the water feature in that new play area that makes it horrid... The lack of fence means it is a dog toilet for many dogs and the area around and under the saucer swing is a mud bath (99% of the time so far this year) despite the rubber matting. I've also seen a fair amount of broken glass round the climbing frame.

I'm sure the new children's centre will provide a more comprehensive service than the existing club, but they must leave the same amount of outside space, as the children's centres I've been to seem to have very small, if any, outside play space.

[nunheadmum]

From what I remember of the discussions around the rebuild, there wasn't enough money to build anything bigger than what's there already. Would be lovely if outdoor area was available outside the set sessions. But fingers crossed the Children's centre manage to bring better access one way or another.

[Saffron]

toomuchchocolate Wrote:

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

> Thanks renata. To be honest it's not just the

> water feature in that new play area that makes it

> horrid... The lack of fence means it is a dog

> toilet for many dogs and the area around and under

> the saucer swing is a mud bath (99% of the time so

> far this year) despite the rubber matting. I've

> also seen a fair amount of broken glass round the

> climbing frame.

>

I could be wrong, but I think part of the playspace to which you are referring is not part of the 1 o'clock club. In which case, there will likely be no change to this area.

[nikki73]

Renata do you know when peckham rye is going to close? It's pretty much the only place open for kids over the summer holidays so would be good to know. thanks n

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Toomuchchocolate, yes Saffron is right, the newer play area equipment is not part of the One O'Clock club. The issue fof dog mess etc was raised about a year ago, I will raise this again, and also the point you raised Nunheadmum about access. Nikki73, I'm waiting on feedback on the timeline for the works at Peckham Rye.

Renata

[Moflo]

We attended a childminders fun day last week in the picnic area, when we were walking back to the oneO'clock club we were verbally attacked by someone with their dog because we asked that it be put on a lead as some on the children were frightened of such a large dig running free! This is a constant problem there and Dulwich park! In a public area surely all dogs should be kept on a lead?? I know this is off the subject but it makes me really mad!

[urchin]

Moflo,

I completely agree. We've had problems several times recently and my toddler is now very scared of dogs. The last time we were having a picnic in the grass area by the lake, where supposedly dogs are meant to be on leads, but very rarely are, and while I was breastfeeding my baby and my toddler was having his picnic tea, two dogs not on leads came running aggressively over, trampled and chased each other all over the rug and started eating the food. The owners were very uncaring and rude, ending up hurling abuse at us. We were very upset and my 3 year old particularly was quite hysterical. I wish there was a park warden or somebody we could have gone to request help from and some sort of enforcement for the dogs to have to be on leads. Surely we should all be able to share the park area, dogs and humans alike without fear. There is a large common for the dogs to run free, I wish that notice was taken of the signs stating dogs should be on leads in the park.

[Renata Hamvas]

There is someone to report dog issues to- He posts on here as Peckham Parkie (Official title- Park Liaison Officer)

He is based in Peckham Rye Park and his name is Mark Newell

07940743929 (useful to keep on your mobile!)

[email protected]

Renata

[Renata Hamvas]

I have reported both the area in the One O clock club playground, and the external playground with the water stream. Both areas will be cleaned.

Renata